Notable Kentucky African Americans Database

<
Entries Beginning With J
>

Jackman, Catherine
Birth Year
: 1902
Jackman, born in Kentucky, was one of the first African American women to graduate from Centre College in Danville, KY. She was a school teacher in the Danville Public Schools, and was a member of the Kentucky Negro Educational Association as early as 1928 and 1929. She later became a seamstress in the Rainbow Cleaners. Her husband, John Jackman was a bricklayer. The family lived in Colored Town, an African American community on the edge of Danville. In the late 1920s, the family lived on Lebanon Pike, and in 1930 their address was on Cowan Street, according to the U.S. Federal Census. Catherine Jackman's job at the cleaners would lead to her raising her employer's daughter, the girl's name was Mildred House. For more see the preface of Environmental Justice: creating equality, reclaiming democracy, by K. S. Shrader-Frechette.
Subjects: Communities,
Education and EducatorsGeographic Region: Colored Town, Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky

Jackman, Parker Hiram
Birth Year
: 1845
Death Year
: 1915
P. Hiram Jackman was a slave born May 24, 1845, near Creelsboro, KY, the son of George Jackman, according to his death certificate. Hiram Jackman was taught to read and write before he became a freeman. After fighting in the Civil War, he taught in the Colored schools in Adair and Russell Counties, one of the first African American teachers in the area. He continued to teach for 45 years. Jackman was also a minister and performed the first marriage ceremony in Adair County for an African American couple. In 1908, he and others attempted to establish a colored library in Columbia, KY. The Rosenwald School, built on Taylor Street in Columbia, KY, in 1925, was named after Hiram Jackman. It was one of five schools for African Americans in Adair County. The school burned down in 1953. P. Hiram Jackman was the husband of Francis Jackman. For more see "The Story of Hiram Jackman, for whom Jackman High Named," Columbia Adair County-Chamber Insights [online] at Columbiamagazine.com; "Rosenwald School: Jackman High, Taylor St, Columbia, KY," photograph [online]; "Dedication of Jackman High commemorative well attended, 08/12/2006, Columbia Magazine [online]; and "Commemorating Jackman graded and high school," photo, 08/12/2006, Columbia Magazine [online]. For more on the number of slaves and free African Americans in Adair County, see the NKAA entry for Adair County (KY) Slaves, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes 1850-1870. See also the NKAA entry for African American Schools in Adair County, KY.

Jackson, Alfred M.
Birth Year
: 1850
Death Year
: 1888
Alfred M. Jackson was a horse trainer who was born in Lexington, KY, around 1850 and died in Chicago, IL, March 22, 1888 [source: Cook County, Illinois Deaths Index]. He and his wife, Fannie Jackson, lived on South First Street in Terre Haute, IN, in 1880 [source: U.S. Federal Census]. Alfred M. Jackson is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Chicago.
Subjects: Jockeys, Horsemen, Horse Breeders, Trainers, Betting, & The Derby,
Migration NorthGeographic Region: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky / Chicago, Illinois

Jackson, Andrew
Birth Year
: 1814
Jackson was born in Bowling Green, KY. He narrated to a friend the story of the 26 years he spent as a slave. In the published biography that came of this narration, Jackson recounts his failed attempt to escape and the cruelty he suffered and witnessed before his eventual successful escape. For more see Narrative and Writings of Andrew Jackson, of Kentucky: Containing an Account...Written by a Friend [available online at UNC Documenting the American South website].
Subjects: Authors,
FreedomGeographic Region: Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky

Jackson, Brenda
From Shelbyville, KY, Brenda Jackson is the first African American woman to lead the Kentucky School Board Association (KSBA), named to the post at the 2005 Annual KSBA Conference; her term ran through February 2007. Her predecessor, John Smith, was the first African American to be president of KSBA. Brenda Jackson, a graduate of Kentucky State University, is a retired employee from state government; for 28 of the 30 years, she was a judicial auditor for the Administrative Office of the Courts. She is a member of the Shelby County Public School Board. For more see T. Miller, "Jackson first African American woman to lead state board group," The Sentinel-News, 06/21/05.

Jackson County (KY) Slaves, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes, 1860-1880
Start Year
: 1860
End Year
: 1880
Jackson County, located in southeastern Kentucky, was established in 1858 from portions of Clay, Estill, Larue, Madison, Owsley, and Rockcastle Counties. It was named for former President Andrew Jackson. The county seat is McKee, also established in 1858, and thought to be named for George R. McKee, a county judge and Kentucky House Member. The county population was 3,080 in 1860, excluding slaves. Below are the number of slave owners, slaves, free Blacks, and free Mulattoes for 1860-1880.

1860 Slave Schedule

3 slave owners [Perlina Attick, Duttan S. Jones, and William Spurlin]

6 Black slaves

1 Mulatto slave

1 free Black [Anderson Arthur]

20 free Mulattoes [most with last names Griffin and Cotton]

1870 U.S. Federal Census

13 Blacks [most with last names Blyth, 2 Cornelison, 2 Treble]

13 Mulattoes [all with last names of Griffin or Cotton]

7 U.S. Colored Troops listed Jackson County, KY, as their birth location.

Jackson, Dennis M.
Birth Year
: 1942
Dennis M. Jackson is from Murray, KY. In 1960 he was the first African American varsity athlete at Murray State University, where he played halfback for the football team and also ran track. His picture was included in the 1963 Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Track Champions photograph. He was a member of the 440 relay team, which tied an OVC record. Jackson graduated from Murray with his B.A. in physical education in 1965 and later earned his M.A. in secondary education administration. Jackson was not only an outstanding athlete in college; he had also been outstanding at Douglass High School and was inducted into the Kentucky High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2007, he was inducted into the Murray State Athletics Hall of Fame. Jackson was a part-time personnel director of the Paducah public schools; he retired from the school system in 2005. Dennis M. Jackson serves as a member of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, his term will end in 2015. For more see L. L. Wright, "Jackson only wanted to play," Kentucky Post, 01/27/2007, Sports section, p. B7. Additional information provided by Murray State University Library.

Jackson, Edward C.
Birth Year
: 1831
Death Year
: 1912
Edward C. Jackson, a slave, was born in Lexington, KY. In 1850 he married Matilda C. Blair, who was free and who had also purchased his freedom. The couple moved to Xenia, OH, where they owned a grocery store, and during the Civil War, they moved to Springfield, OH, where they owned a second-hand store. By 1868, the couple had moved back to Xenia, where Jackson became one of the first African American city council members. He was also a trustee on the Board of Wilberforce University and was a member of the Wilberforce Lodge Free and Accepted Masons. Jackson and his wife had eight children, and he was the uncle of John H. and Jordan Jackson Jr. For more see "Born a slave in Lexington," Lexington Leader, 02/11/1912, p. 2.

*Additional information provided by Yvonne Giles: Edward C. Jackson's wife's name is misspelled [Malinda C. Blain] in the obituary notice found in the Lexington Leader, her name was Matilda C. Blair [source: Deed book #35, p213, 12 October 1858; taxes and fees paid May 1859]. She signed a contract with George W. Sutton for the purchase of her husband Edward Jackson on 12 October 1858. She paid $800, four hundred down and four hundred by May 1859 even though the contract was for three years. The contract makes no mention that Matilda C. Blair is a 'free woman of color.' The contract called for a deed of emancipation to Edward Jackson once all money had been received.
Subjects: Freedom,
Migration North,
Politicians, Politics, Appointments & Elections,
Fraternal OrganizationsGeographic Region: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky / Xenia, Ohio / Springfield, Ohio

Jackson, Horace "Stonewall"
Horace Jackson was from Louisville, KY, and later moved to Cincinnati, OH. He was a middleweight boxer who fought under the the name Stonewall Jackson. In April 1934, he was scheduled to fight Cincinnati middleweight, Smokey Maggard. The bout was to take place as an eight round main event in PAC Arena in Piqua, OH. Jackson was an inexperienced boxer, he was described as a slugger and swinger, with a wild and unorthodox style, fighting from a half crouch position. He had been boxing for little more than two years, learning from experience. His first fight took place February 22, 1932, when he won against Jackie Raymond in Milford, OH. Jackson's first loss was to Bobby Millsap in Covington, KY, April 18, 1933. His 1934 fight against Smokey Maggard was promoted in the local newspapers, tickets were sold at G. & G. Autoparts and Fred Loefflers in Piqua, OH. Admission was 44, 72, and 91 cents. Women could take any seat for 44 cents. The referee was Earl Smitley. Jackson lost the fight by decision. His last bout was in Louisville, KY, November 25, 1935, in a loss to Frank Glover. Stonewall Jackson's overall record was 13 wins with 6 knockouts, 10 losses with 2 knockouts, and 7 draws. For more see "Hard-hitting Kentucky boxer to face Maggard Tuesday eve," The Piqua Daily Call, 04/07/1934, p.9; and the Stonewall Jackson boxing record at boxrec.com.
Subjects: Boxers, Boxing,
Migration NorthGeographic Region: Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky / Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky / Cincinnati, Piqua, and Milford, Ohio /

Jackson, James (horse trainer)
Birth Year
: 1946
Jackson, from Lexington, KY, and the son of Lucian Jackson, is the first African American trainer to saddle a starter in the Kentucky Oaks; Gallant Secret placed third in the 2005 run for the Kentucky Lilies. Jackson was the leading trainer in Michigan for 25 years; he left Kentucky when he was 22 years old, seeking better opportunities in Detroit. He became the nations 6th leading trainer in 1996, and in 1995 was 3rd in number of wins. Jackson and his family moved back to Lexington in 1998. For more see M. Walls, "Back in state, back in the money, - trainer Jackson gains notice by lighting up the board," Lexington Herald-Leader, 10/20/2001, Sports section, p. D1.
Subjects: Jockeys, Horsemen, Horse Breeders, Trainers, Betting, & The Derby,
Migration NorthGeographic Region: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky / Detroit, Michigan

Jackson, James W.: Migration to Colorado
James W. Jackson was only one of the hundreds of African Americans who left Kentucky for the West. According to the Census Reports, there were 687 African Americans who had left Kentucky and moved to Colorado by 1900. African Americans were being enticed to Colorado, according to author Jesse T. Moore, Jr., in order to keep out the Chinese, who were seen as an economic threat to American labor. African Americans, on the other hand, were viewed as being acclimated to American ways and no real threat. In 1858, James Jackson, born a slave, left the area near Maxville, KY, and settled in Denver, where he became a successful businessman. Jackson was politically active on many levels and became the first African American to serve on the Colorado Republican State Committee. Jackson was also invited to speak with President Theodore Roosevelt concerning the condition of African Americans in the U.S. For more see J. T. Moore, Jr., "Seeking a New Life: Blacks in Post-Civil War Colorado," The Journal of Negro History, vol. 78, no. 3 (Summer, 1993), pp. 166-187.
Subjects: Businesses,
Immigration,
Migration West,
Politicians, Politics, Appointments & Elections,
Appointments by U.S. Presidents/Services for U.S. PresidentsGeographic Region: Maxville, Washington County, Kentucky / Denver, Colorado

Jackson, James W. (police)
Birth Year
: 1913
Death Year
: 2006
Jackson was born in Arkansas and grew up in Paducah, KY. After graduating from Lincoln High School in 1933, he attended West Kentucky Industrial College [now West Kentucky Community and Technical College]. During World War II, he was a member of the 9th Cavalry and a mounted soldier in the 2nd Cavalry, deployed in Italy. In 1960, Jackson joined the Kansas City Police Department, the third African American reserve officer on the force; he retired in 1974. He also worked at the post office and retired from there in 1992 after 50 years of employment. For more see "James Warren Jackson," Kansas City Star, 02/10/2006, Obituary section, p. B4.
Subjects: Migration West,
Military & Veterans,
Corrections and Police,
Postal Service,
Migration East,
Grade Schools & High Schools in KentuckyGeographic Region: Arkansas / Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky / Kansas City, Missouri

See photo image and additional information about John H. Jackson, including his stay in Missouri, at Biographical Sketches: Biographies from the Cole County People, by the Cole County Historical Society.

Jackson, John J., Jr.
Birth Year
: 1923
Death Year
: 2004
John J. Jackson, Jr. was the first African American licensed to practice as an optometrist in Louisville, KY, in 1954. He was a graduate of the Chicago College of Optometry. Jackson was born in Harlan, KY, the son of John Sr. and Dusker Jackson. In 1930 the family of five lived on Clover Street in Harlan, KY, according to the U.S. Federal Census. For more see "First Negro optometrist opens Louisville office," Jet, 06/24/1954, p. 27; and "Dr. John J. Jackson, Jr.," Lexington Herald-Leader, 04/18/2004, City&Region section, p. B4.
Subjects: Medical Field, Health CareGeographic Region: Harlan, Harlan County, Kentucky / Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Jackson, Keith L.
Birth Year
: 1965
In June 2012, Keith Jackson became the first African American to be named Chief of the Lexington Division of Fire and Emergency Services. The appointment was made by Mayor Jim Gray. Jackson is a 21 year veteran and served for more than a year as the interim chief. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and author of the unpublished manuscript History of Black Firefighters. For more see "City names new fire chief, " at WKYT 27 Newsfirst, 06/28/2012 [online]; "Lexington's first Black fire chief named," ;The Key Newsjournal, 06/28/2012 [online].

Jackson, Lee Arthur
Birth Year
: 1950
Jackson was the first African American to head the Kentucky Association of State Employees (KASE/AFT - Local 4590), an employee union; Jackson has been its president since 1990. He was program supervisor at the Department for Employment Services in Lexington, KY. He has since retired from state employment. Jackson was born in Lynch, KY, the son of Sylmon J. and Marie Stokes Jackson. He is a 1973 graduate of the University of Kentucky. For more see Black Firsts, by J. C. Smith; and Who's Who Among African Americans, 1994-2006.
Subjects: Employment Services,
Union OrganizationsGeographic Region: Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky / Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky / Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky

Jackson, Pierre W. "Red"
Birth Year
: 1928
Pierre Wallace Jackson, from Henderson, KY, is a 1949 graduate of Kentucky State College (now Kentucky State University [KSU]) and a 1975 inductee into the KSU Hall of Fame. During his junior year at the college, Jackson was a champion boxer, having won two lighter weight titles and the African American division heavyweight title at the The Herald-Leader's 1948 Golden Gloves Tournament. He was coached by Bob Carson. Jackson also received the Sportsman's Award during the tournament. In 1949, Jackson won the tournament's middleweight title. In addition to being a boxer, Jackson was an outstanding athlete who also played center on the KSU football team. Additional information provided by B. Morelock at CESKAA. For more see Pierre W. "Red" Jackson's photos in the Kentucky State University 1948-1949 yearbooks (online).

See one of the photo images of Pierre Wallace "Red" Jackson on p.84 in the 1948 Thorobred yearbook, Kentucky State University.

Jackson, Reid E., Sr.
Birth Year
: 1908
Death Year
: 1991
Reid E. Jackson, Sr. was born in Paducah, KY, and raised in Louisville, KY. He was the son of Julia Reid and George Washington Jackson. Reid Jackson was a graduate of Central High School, Wilberforce University (B.A.) and Ohio State University (M.A. & Ph.D.). He held a number of posts at a number of schools before becoming the administrative dean at Wilberforce University in 1949. He was secretary of the Southern Negro Conference for Equalization of Education Opportunities, 1944-1946; editor of the Sphinx, Alpha Phi Alpha, in 1945; and author of a number of articles, including "Educating Jacksonville's Tenth Child," Opportunity (July 1935). Jackson retired from Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. He was the father of Annette Dawson and Dr. Reid Jackson, II (1940-2001), and brother to Dr. Blyden Jackson. For more see Who's Who in Colored America, 1950; and "Reid Jackson, Sr., 83, was MSU professor," The Sun (Baltimore, MD).

Jackson, Robert G. [Jackson Jubilee Singers]
Birth Year
: 1880
Death Year
: 1929
Robert G. Jackson was regarded as one of the best music educators of his time. Under the direction of Robert G. Jackson, the Western University music department, a HBCU (historically black college and university), had a peak year in 1912 with 153 music students: "They repeatedly won the composition competition held by the Interstate Literary society, founded in 1891 by Langston Hughes' grandfather Charles Langston, in Topeka, Kansas" ~ [source: p.18 in From Spirituals to Symphonies by Helen Walker-Hill]. Robert G. Jackson was also the founder of the Jackson Jubilee Singers, a group that traveled on the Redpath Chautauqua Circuit. The group performed a wide variety of Negro songs. All of the members were high school graduates, and 7 of the 8 were college graduates. Robert G. Jackson was born in Sandersville (Fayette County), KY, and spent some of his younger years in Kansas; he was a graduate of both Lawrence High School and the University of Kansas [source: Jackson Jubilee Singers image description in the Iowa Digital Library]. The other members of the group were Edgar Dupee, C. L. Russell, Minnie C. Gilbert, Dorothy Langston, Jackson Trueitt, Neoma Campbell, and Hartzell Parham. Group leader Robert G. Jackson was the dean of Western University in Quindaro, KS, in addition to being head of the Department of Music. In July of 1925, an ad announced that the Redpath Chautauqua would be at the Bryan (OH) Chautauqua, August 25-31, and one of the groups performing was the Jackson Jubilee Singers who were highlighted on the following page with a picture and several paragraphs about the group [sources: Redpath Chautauqua ad in the Bryan Democrat, 07/31/1925, p.2, top of columns 5-6; and "Songs of the South Chautauqua," Bryan Democrat, 07/31/1925, p.3]. The Jackson Jubilee Singers also performed at churches and other non-chautauqua related events; the singers were recruiters for Western University, they sought potential students who possessed singing and musical talents. The group members would continue to change during the lifetime of the group, 1907-1943. Western University closed in 1943, it had opened in 1865 as the Quindaro Freedman's School [source: H. Walker-Hill, "Western University at Quindaro, Kansas (1865-1943) and its legacy of pioneering musical women," Black Music Research Journal, v.26, no.1, Spring 2006, pp.7-37].

According to the 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Robert G. Jackson was born in 1880; he was 2 months old when the census data was collected in June of 1880. Also, according to the family tree in Ancestry.com, Robert G. Jackson was born March 26, 1880. He was living with his family in Fayette County, KY when the 1900 U.S. Federal Census was taken. In 1903, Robert G. Jackson married Clara M. Sparks and they lived in Kansas City, KS. The couple had two daughters, Marie and Aleta, and according to the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, three of Robert G. Jackson's sisters lived with the family. The sisters' names were Anna (24), Rosa (22), and Viola Jackson (19). Robert's wife, Clara M. Sparks Jackson, was born in Lawrence, KS in 1880 and died there in 1931. Long prior to her death, more of her husband's family was moving from Kentucky to Kansas. By 1915, Robert G. Jackson's mother, Delilah Culverson Jackson, was also living in Kansas City along with her children Cornilus (24), Arlene (18), Mattie (15), and 78 year old Martha Colmston. Two years later, Clara and Robert had divorced, and in August of 1917, Robert G. Jackson married Antoinette Young who was from Los Angeles, CA [source: "Kansas' greatest musician marries accomplished Los Angeles girl," Advocate (Kansas), 08/31/1917, p.1]. Robert G. Jackson died Christmas Day of 1929, according to the Obituary Index found online at the Wyandotte County Museum website. According to his entry in the Obituary Index, Robert G. Jackson's death notice was taken from the Kansas City Kansan newspaper dated 12/26/1929.

Additional information about the family of Robert G. Jackson provided by Yvonne Giles: Robert G. Jackson was the eldest son of Edward W. Jackson, Sr. and Delilah Culverson Jackson. His parents married 26 Mar 1878 in Clark County, KY. The 1900 Fayette County KY Census, Sheet 4, 7th Precinct, Index 145B lists all the children as well as Delilah's widowed mother. Edward W. Jackson Sr. was the oldest son of Jordan Carlisle Jackson, Sr. and James Ann Buckner Jackson. Edward Sr.'s brothers were Jordan Carlisle Jackson, Jr. (E. Belle) and John Henry Jackson (first president of KY Normal - KSU). Edward W. Jackson, Sr. was born Nov 1845 and died 17 Oct 1909; he is buried in African Cemetery No. 2. Obituary: Lexington Leader, Sec 1, p6, 10/18/1909; Tribute by W.D. Johnson, Lexington Leader, p8, c6, 10/20/1909. Delilah Jackson was born 2 Mar 1854 in Clark County, KY, and she died 13 Mar 1944 in Kansas.

See photo image of the Jackson Jubilee Singers at Iowa Digital Library.

Jackson, Thompson
Birth Year
: 1882
Jackson was born in Henderson, KY, the son of Lizzy Jackson. He organized the Good Citizenship League in Mansfield, Ohio in 1924, the Y-Indus Club in 1926, and the Boy Scout Troop. Jackson served as president of the Republican Club for Colored Voters, delegate to the National Republican Convention in 1924, and president of the Mansfield NAACP. For more see Who's Who in Colored America 1928-29 and 1950.
Subjects: Activists, Civil Rights,
Civic Leaders,
Voting Rights,
NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)Geographic Region: Henderson, Henderson County, Kentucky / Mansfield, Ohio

Jackson-Sears, Pandora
Birth Year
: 1963
Born in Madisonville, KY, Jackson-Sears is the daughter of Larry and Vivian Lewis. She is president and owner of Jackson-Sears and Associates and has over 17 years of minority and women's business development and diversity experience. In 2003, Gov. Paul Patton appointed her to the Kentucky Commission on the Small Business Advocacy Board. She is also an elementary school teacher in Louisville. She is the author of dipped in milk: conversations between an African-American son and his mother, which examines African American males raised in the suburbs and their struggle to fit in with their inner-city peers. For more see S. Bartholomy, "Parents face split decision," Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, 05/05/2004, B section, p. 1.
Subjects: Authors,
Businesses,
Education and Educators,
Appointments by Kentucky GovernorsGeographic Region: Madisonville, Hopkins County, Kentucky / Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

James, Cheryl E.
James is the first African American president of the Junior League of Lexington (elected in September 2004). An attorney who works for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, she has been a member of the Junior League for 11 years. For more see J. Hewlett, "A fresh face for the Junior League, lawyer is the first black woman to head Lexington organization," Lexington Herald-Leader, 03/02/05.
Subjects: Civic Leaders,
LawyersGeographic Region: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky

James, Grace Marilynn
Birth Year
: 1923
Death Year
: 1989
A pediatrician, Grace M. James was the first African American woman member of the Jefferson County Medical Society and the first African American woman admitted to the University of Louisville School of Medicine. She founded the West Louisville Medical Center. The Grace M. James Papers are housed at the University of Louisville Archives and Records Center. Grace M. James was born in Charleston, WV, the daughter of Edward L. and Stella G. Shaw James. For more see Who's Who Among Black Americans, 1st-6th ed.; and Dr. Grace Marilyn James by David James at the Find a Grave website.

The James Harvey Family (Woodford County, KY)
The family of James Harvey was regarded as skilled, artistic, musical, and mechanical. Harvey, considered a naturally gifted mechanic, was an engineer in a distillery near Frankfort, KY. He was the father of Lewis, Will, and two other boys; his wife was described as Mexican. The March 1902 issue of the Woodford Sunnewspaper contained a story relating how 18 year old Lewis built a functioning miniature stationary steam engine; Lewis had not been trained as an engineer and was thought to be uneducated. He was also a wood carver and had made a walking stick designed with people and animals in bold relief. Will, who was 15 years old, sketched portraits and landscapes in pencil and crayon. The two other brothers were gifted musicians and played a number of instruments. For more see "IV. Inventive Genius, Mechanical Skill, etc." on pp. 470-471 in The Story of a Rising Race, by Rev. J. J. Pipkin [available full-text at Google Book Search]; and "Untutored Negro boy is a genius," Woodford Sun, 03/06/1902, p. 1.
Subjects: Artists, Fine Arts,
Musicians, Opera, Singers, Song Writers,
Mechanics and Mechanical EngineeringGeographic Region: Woodford County, Kentucky

James, Wilbert W, "Wil"
Birth Year
: 1956
In July, 2010, Wilbert "Wil" James was named the 7th president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Georgetown, KY; the plant is Toyota's largest automotive manufacturing plant on this continent. Wil James is also the first African American president of the company. He has been a Toyota employee since 1987 when he became an employee at the Toyota plant in Georgetown. During the next 24 years, Wilbert James advanced within Toyota, having held leadership positions in plants in various locations such as California and Indiana. Wilbert W. James is a native of Norfolk, VA. He earned a mechanical engineering technology degree from Old Dominion University in 1978. His promotion to plant president was said to be part of Toyota's promise "to shift more responsibility to non-Japanese managers by promoting North Americans and Europeans to run factories outside Japan" [source: Jonathan Soble, "Toyota promotes non-Japanese managers in wake of problems," Financial Times, 06/25/2010, p. 13]. Of the 14 manufacturing plants in North America, 12 were run by non-Japanese staff in 2010. For more on Wilbert James' accomplishments, see his biography at the Toyota website. See also "Toyota celebrates 10-millionth vehicle made in Kentucky," Bennington Banner (VT), 05/31/2014, p. N01; and "Toyota plant partners with Kentucky State University," Targeted News Service (USA), 03/22/2014.

James, William "Bill"
Birth Year
: 1945
William James is recognized as the first African American librarian at the University of Kentucky. He came to the university as Director of the College of Law Library in 1974, and he was also an instructor in the College of Library Science and he was an assistant professor in the College of Law [sources: Press Release, UKNews, University of Kentucky Information Services, 02/21/1977, 2pages; "Affirmative Action," The Green Bean, no.1, 05/25/1973, p.1 (online at Explore UK); p.250 in University of Kentucky Course Catalog, v.68, no.5, 1976-77 (online at Explore UK)]; and University of Kentucky Course Catalog, v.69, no.3, 1977-1978 (online at Explore UK)]. William James completed high school in Augusta, GA, and is a 1967 graduate of Morehouse College, and a 1972 graduate of Howard University School of Law. He worked at the Federal Trade Commission before earning a library science degree from Atlanta University in 1973 [now Clark Atlanta University]. He was the Assistant Law Librarian at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville before coming to the University of Kentucky. William James was the first African American librarian at the level of Librarian I (full professor), his rank was last noted in the University of Kentucky Course Catalog, 1988-89, p.307. William James left in 1988 to become Director of the Pulling Law Library at Villanova University. This entry was suggested by Librarian Shawn Livingston and completed with assistance from Librarian Gail Kennedy, both at the University of Kentucky.

See photo image of William James, Director of University of Kentucky College of Law Library. 1977 Image in Explore UK.Subjects: Librarians, Library Collections, LibrariesGeographic Region: Augusta, Georgia / Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky / Villanova, Pennsylvania

Jameson, Max W.
Birth Year
: 1935
Six foot four Max W. Jameson, from Frankfort, KY, was a basketball player at Kentucky State University (K-State). He played center and was named to the All-Midwestern Conference his sophomore and senior years [sources: "Grambling wins Midwest Tournament; defeats Lincoln in finals," Arkansas State Press, 02/25/1955, p. 3; and "All-Midwest cage team selected," Baltimore Afro-American, 02/26/1957, p. 15]. He averaged 17.8 points during his four years on the Kentucky State University basketball team [source: "Max Jamison [Jameson] by Warriors gets drafted," Louisville Defender, 04/25/1957]. During his senior year, Jameson was named to the College AllStars and played four games in the team series against the Harlem Globetrotters. In 1957, Jameson was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors [now the Golden State Warriors] in the 7th round of the NBA Draft [source: NBA Draft History webpage]. During the 1961-62 season, Max Jameson played forward on the Cleveland Pipers, an ABL team; the team had a record of 45-36 and finished first in the ABL East Division. Jameson next played for the Harlem Globetrotters; he is listed on the All-Time Roster. In 2007, Max Jameson was inducted into the Kentucky State University Athletics Hall of Fame. Max W. Jameson and his twin brother Scott were born in Frankfort, KY, the sons of James and Mary Lucille Warren Jameson; the family of six lived at 313 Hill Street in Frankfort, KY [source: 1940 U.S. Federal Census]. The paternal grandparents of Max W. Jameson were Mattie Clay and Scott Maryland Jameson, Sr.; their portraits are available in the Jameson Family Collection at the Center of Excellence for the Study of Kentucky African Americans, Kentucky State University.

Jameson, Scott M., III
Birth Year
: 1935
Scott M. Jameson, III was a basketball player at Kentucky State University (K-State). He and James Goss were co-captains of the team during the 1955-56 season when Jameson was a senior. Both Goss and Jameson's senior sweaters are held in the archival collections of the Center of Excellence for the Study of Kentucky African Americans (CESKAA) at Kentucky State University. Jameson was a sociology major at K-State [source: 1956 Thoroughbred(yearbook), pp. 58, 69, & 117]. He played professional basketball for the Harlem Globetrotters as well as the Washington Generals, a team that traveled with the Harlem Globetrotters [source: within the article by A. Meacham, "Epilogue: Retired St. Petersburg Junior College dean James Goss always took charge," Tampa Bay Times, 04/05/2014, p. 1B]. Scott M. Jameson, III is the son of James and Mary Lucille Warren Jameson; the family of six lived at 313 Hill Street in Frankfort, KY [source: 1940 U.S. Federal Census]. Scott and his twin brother Max were born in Frankfort, KY. The paternal grandparents of Scott M. Jameson, II were Mattie Clay and Scott Maryland Jameson, Sr.; their portraits are available in the Jameson Family Collection at the Center of Excellence for the Study of Kentucky African Americans, Kentucky State University.

Jasmin, Ernest A., Sr.
Birth Year
: 1934
Death Year
: 2004
Born in Florida, Ernest A. Jasmin became the first African American chief prosecutor in Kentucky when he was elected Commonwealth Attorney in 1987. He created a narcotics unit with four prosecutors for the handling of drug cases and established prosecutor training seminars. Jasmin earned degrees from Florida A & M and the University of Louisville Law School. He was admitted to the Kentucky Bar in 1967, and in 2004 he received the Trailblazer Award from the Louisville Bar Association. For more see African American Biographies: profiles of 558 current men and women, by W. L. Hawkins; "Kentucky's first Black Commonwealth's Attorney," The Louisville Defender, 03/13/1992; and "First Black to serve as state prosecutor - Ernest Jasmin had number of prominent cases," Lexington Herald-Leader, 05/02/2004, City & Region section, p. C4.

Jefferson County (KY) Slaves, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes, 1850-1870
Start Year
: 1850
End Year
: 1870
Jefferson County was established in 1780; it was one of the original three counties created when Kentucky County was subdivided by the Virginia General Assembly. Jefferson County is located in the western part of the state along the Ohio River, bordered by four counties. It is named for Thomas Jefferson, who was then governor of Virginia, and who would become the third U.S. President. Jefferson County is the most populated county in Kentucky. The county seat is Louisville; George Rogers Clark is credited as the founder of Louisville in 1778, and the city was named for King Louis XVI of France in 1780. In the First Census of Kentucky, 1790, there were 3,857 whites, 903 slaves, and 5 free persons. The 1800 population of Jefferson County was 8,754, according to the Second Census of Kentucky: 6,325 whites, 2,406 slaves, 23 free coloreds. In 1830 there was one free African American slave owner in Jefferson County and five in Louisville. By 1860, the population had increased to 79,060, according to the U.S. Federal Census, and excluding the slaves. Below are the number of slave owners, slaves, and free Blacks and Mulattoes for 1850-1870.

1850 Slave Schedule

2,394 slave owners

8,814 Black slaves

2,093 Mulatto slaves

1,062 free Blacks

589 free Mulattoes

1860 Slave Schedule

2,664 slave owners

6,786 Black slaves

1,922 Mulatto slaves

1,244 free Blacks

762 free Mulattoes

1870 U.S. Federal Census

13,944 Blacks

4,940 Mulattoes

About 443 U.S. Colored Troops listed Jefferson County, KY, as their birth location.

Jenkins Sluggers (Jenkins, KY, baseball team)
On the 4th of July, 1935, the Jenkins Sluggers, a Colored baseball team from Jenkins, KY, were scheduled to play the Middlesboro Blue Sox, a Colored baseball team from Middlesboro, KY. The game was to take place in the East End Park in Middlesboro. After the game, a number of activities were to take place in the park for the city's Colored population in celebration of the holiday. For more see "Fair weather predicted for 4th," Middlesboro Daily News, 07/03/1935, pp. 1 & 6.
Subjects: BaseballGeographic Region: Jenkins, Letcher County, Kentucky / Middlesboro, Bell County, Kentucky

Jennings, Sam
Birth Year
: 1893
Death Year
: 1932
Jennings was born in Breckinridge County, KY. In 1930, he was accused of attacking Mabel Downs, the accusation quickly turning into a story that a black man had raped a white woman. Jennings was arrested, and the grand jury indicted him on a charge of rape. He was transferred to Jefferson County Jail for safekeeping: there was fear that a riot might occur and that Jennings might be lynched in Breckinridge County. He was returned to Breckinridge County for his trial, which resulted in his being found guilty. After exhausting his appeals, Sam Jennings was hanged in 1932. Over 6,000 people gathered to watch the event. Author Perry T. Ryan tells the entire story in his book, Legal Lynching: the plight of Sam Jennings.
Subjects: LynchingsGeographic Region: Breckinridge County, Kentucky / Jefferson County, Kentucky

Jernagin, Cordelia J. Woolfolk
Birth Year
: 1895
Death Year
: 1977
In 1924, Cordelia J. Woolfolk, born in Frankfort, KY, was a claims adjuster at the National Benefit Insurance Company in Washington, D.C. She was considered a woman who had landed a high position job. The insurance company was founded by Samuel W. Rutherford in 1898, it was an African American-owned business. Cordelia J. Woolfolk had previously worked for an insurance company in Frankfort, KY. According to a 1924 article by Charles E. Stump in the Broad Axe newspaper in Chicago, Cordelia Woolfolk had advanced in the insurance business from her job in Frankfort to her job in Washington, D.C. [source: "Charles E. Stump, the slick old time traveling correspondent...," Broad Axe, 04/19/1924, p.3, paragraph 6 of article]. Prior to working in insurance, she was a school teacher in Bagdad, KY. Cordelia J. Woolfolk was in Washington, D.C. as early as 1920, according to the U.S. Federal Census. In 1922, her name was on p.1666 in Boyd's Directory of the District of Columbia. She is listed in the 1933 directory and the 1934 directory; Woolfolk was employed as a stenographer and a bookkeeper. In the 1939 directory, she is listed on p.1402, and was employed at the Southeast Settlement House. The establishment was found in 1929 by Dr. Dorothy Boulding Ferebee and provided daycare and recreation for African American children. In 1945, Cordelia J. Woolfolk was a social worker in Washington, D.C. when she married civil rights activist, Rev. William Henry Jernagin (1870-1958), pastor of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. and an internationally known church leader and activist. For more see "Jernagin takes bride," Afro-American, 08/11/1945, p.10; and "Dr. Jernagin still active pastor at 88," Afro-American, 10/19/1957, p.3.
Subjects: Accountants, Bookkeepers, Certified Public Accountants, Stenographers,
Insurance Companies, Insurance Sales,
Education and Educators,
Migration North,
Social Workers,
Women's Groups and OrganizationsGeographic Region: Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky / Bagdad, Shelby County, Kentucky / Washington, D. C.

Jessamine County (KY) Slaves, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes, 1850-1870
Start Year
: 1850
End Year
: 1870
Jessamine County, named for the jasmine (jessamine) flower and Jessamine Creek, was established in 1798 from a portion of Fayette County. Located in the Bluegrass Region, it is surrounded by five counties. The county seat is Nicholasville, named for George Nicholas, who was appointed the first U.S. Attorney in Kentucky by President George Washington. Nicholas was born in Virginia and was a veteran of the U.S. Revolutionary War. He drafted the first Kentucky constitution and was the first professor of law at Transylvania College. He had come to Kentucky around 1788 and died in 1799, about a year after Jessamine County was formed. The total county population for 1800 was 5,461, according to the Second Census of Kentucky: 3,879 whites, 1,561 slaves, and 21 free coloreds. Ten years later the population was 8,377, according to the Third Census of the United States (Census of 1810), Jessamine County, Kentucky: 3,072 white males, 2,786 white females, 2,483 slaves, and 36 free Black persons. In 1830 there were three African American slave owners. By 1860, the population had increased to 5,776, excluding the slaves. Below are the number of slave owners, slaves, free Blacks, and free Mulattoes from 1850-1870.

1850 Slave Schedule

615 slave owners

3,367 Black slaves

457 Mulatto slaves

116 free Blacks

42 free Mulattoes

1860 Slave Schedule

572 slave owners

3,153 Black slaves

572 Mulatto slaves

73 free Blacks

23 free Mulattoes

1870 U.S. Federal Census

2,862 Blacks

634 Mulattoes

About 88 U.S. Colored Troops listed Jessamine County, KY, as their birth location.

Jett, Alta M. and Richard E. Jett
Alta Margaret Boatright Jett (1920-2004) was born in Lancaster, KY; her family later moved to Indiana. She held a number of jobs, including domestic servant, credit officer at Montgomery Wards, and janitor. She was also president of the Mary B. Talbert Club and Vice Precinct Committee person for the Democratic Party, as well as a worker with the Girl Scouts, YMCA, and a mother's study group. Jett wrote obituaries and spoke on African American history. She was the daughter of Charles and Annie Farley Boatright, and the wife of Richard Ezekiel Jett (1917-2006), a carpenter and musician from Booneville, KY. Richard was the son of James and Mattie Jett. The Alta M. Jett Collection is housed at the Indiana Historical Society. For more see "Alta M. Jett in Guide to African-American History Materials in the Manuscript Collections at the Indiana Historical Society; "Obituaries," Palladium-Item, 05/23/2004, p. 3B; and Richard E. Jett in the Obituary section of the Palladium-Item, 07/23/2006, p. 3C.
Subjects: Civic Leaders,
Historians,
Migration North,
Musicians, Opera, Singers, Song Writers,
Carpenters,
YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association)Geographic Region: Lancaster, Garrard County, Kentucky / Booneville, Owsley County, Kentucky / Richmond, Indiana

Jewett, John W.
Birth Year
: 1870
Jewett was born near Lexington, KY. His parents later moved to Covington, KY, where he could attend school for free. He graduated from Gaines High School in Cincinnati, OH, in 1883, salutatorian of his class. He began teaching in Cadentown, KY, in 1890 and later served as president of the Fayette County Teachers Association. He also served as a Republican delegate to the State Conventions. For more see Biographical Sketches of Prominent Negro Men and Women of Kentucky, by W. D. Johnson. See photo image of Cadentown Colored School in Kentucky Digital Library - Images.Subjects: Education and Educators,
Migration NorthGeographic Region: Lexington and Cadentown, Fayette County, Kentucky / Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky / Cincinnati, Ohio

Jewish Hospital (Louisville, KY)
Jewish Hospital was one of the first hospitals in Louisville to be integrated. Dr. Joan E. Thomas, a medical student in the 1960s who later practiced on the West End of Louisville, recalled that the Jewish Hospital was one of the first white hospitals in Louisville willing to take Black patients. For more see A Legendary Vision: the history of Jewish Hospital, by B. Zingman and B. L. Anster.
Subjects: Medical Field, Health CareGeographic Region: Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

"Jim Crow Car"
Start Year
: 1902
In 1902, Mrs. Lulu Thurman won her lawsuit against Southern Railroad in the Lexington, KY, courts. She had originally asked for $10,000 in damages because the train conductor had thought Mrs. Thurman was a Negro and had forced her to ride in the Jim Crow car. Mrs. Thurman was able to prove to the courts that she was white and the jury awarded her $4,000. For more see "Woman gets $4,000 verdict," New York Times, Special to the New York Times, 04/18/1902, p.1.

"Jim Crow" The Character
The origin of the minstrel character, Jim Crow, has been placed in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Louisville, Kentucky. The Kentucky version suggests that in 1830, Thomas D. Rice, a white man who was a blackface performer, was in Louisville acting and working as a stagehand doing carpentry and lamp lighting. A livery stable owned by a man named Crowe was located near the City Theatre where Rice performed; Crowe owned a slave named Jim Crowe who sang and danced while he worked at the stable. Rice studied Crowe's movements, his song, and his clothes, all of which were incorporated into Rice's stage performance of Jim Crow in Pittsburgh. Rice's performance was originally meant to be a brief diversion between acts; instead it was an instant hit with white audiences in the United States and England. "Jim Crow" became a permanent term in the English vocabulary and would have multiple applications. A Jim Crow song was published in 1830 by William C. Peters. Jim Crow acts and songs were the rave, and Rice was dubbed "Daddy Rice," "Father of American Minstrels," and "Mr. T. D. Rice of Kentucky." Thomas Rice was actually from New York but had spent a brief time in Kentucky at the beginning of his stage career. For more about the character Jim Crow, see the entry by J. D. Julian in The Encyclopedia of Louisville, ed. by J. E. Kleber; and Men in Blackface, by S. Stark. For more about Thomas D. Rice, see M. N. Ramshaw, "Jump Jim Crow! A Biographical Sketch of Thomas D. Rice," Theatre Annual, vol. 17 (1960).

Jim Crow (term)
It is not definitively clear how the term "Jim Crow" came to be associated with the segregation of African Americans and whites in the United States. The use of the term was expanded to define a certain genre of music in the 1830s. Abolitionist newspapers in Massachusetts were using the term in the 1840s in reference to the segregated railway cars. By the 1890s the term was applied to segregation and exclusion laws and norms in border states and the south. By the 1940s the term had been further used to define behavior, speech, violence, and other forms of discrimination and segregation. Also in the 1940s, the term was used by the military to refer to lookout units or individual men in such units. For more see the Encyclopedia of African American Culture and History, vol. 3, 2nd edition, ed. by C. Palmer; and the Oxford English Dictionary.
Subjects: Freedom,
Jim Crow

Jim's Orbit (horse), [Jim Cottrell]
Start Year
: 1988
In 1988, Jim Cottrell became one of a handful of African American horse breeders who owned a Thoroughbred that qualified for the Kentucky Derby. His horse, Jim's Orbit, was a three year old at 64-1 odds and finished 10th in the 114th running of the Kentucky Derby. Jim's Orbit was trained by Clarence Picou and ridden by Shane Romero. He was bred in Texas of Orbit Dancer and the mare Gaytimer. Jim Cottrell was a millionaire who was born in Mobile, AL, the son of Helen Smith Cottrell and Comer J. Cottrell, Sr. Jim and his brother Comer Cottrell, Jr. were the owners of Pro-Line, an African American hair care product company, makers of the 'Curly Kit' and the 'Kiddie Kit'. Jim Cottrell left the business in 1983. For more see "Black-owned horse runs in 1988 Kentucky Derby," Jet, 05/30/1988, p.53; S. Crist, "Jim's Oribt wins the Derby trial," The New York Times, 05/01/1988, p.S7; and D. Mcvea, "The House of Cottrell," Dallas Observer, 03/21/1996 [article online].
Subjects: Businesses,
Cosmetologists, Beauty Shops, Hairdressers, Beauty Supplies,
Jockeys, Horsemen, Horse Breeders, Trainers, Betting, & The DerbyGeographic Region: Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky / Mobile, Alabama / Texas

Jo (slave)
Birth Year
: 1807
Jo, a slave, had been born in Kentucky and moved to Missouri with his owner, referred to as Mr. B. Jo was considered a rare medical oddity in the early 1800s when at the age of twelve his skin and hair began to turn white, starting with a patch at the edge of his hairline. He also lost his sense of smell. It took about ten years for his body to lose all skin pigmentation. Brown spots began to appear on his face and hands when he was about 22 years old. Jo had had rubeola (measles) and pertussis (whooping cough) when he was a child and had both illnesses again after his skin began to change, along with chronic rheumatism and scarletina (scarlet fever). In spite of these illnesses, Jo was considered to be in very good health. For more about this case see Joseph C. Hutchinson, M.D. (of Marshall, Salmie County, MO), "A Remarkable Case of Change of Complexion, with Loss of the Sense of Smell," American Journal of the Medical Sciences, vol. 45 (January 1852), pp. 146-148.
Subjects: Medical Field, Health Care,
Migration WestGeographic Region: Kentucky / Missouri

Jockeys/Trainers in Kentucky
Start Year
: 1880
End Year
: 1947
As fewer African American jockeys became riders in the Kentucky Derby and other horse racing competitions, there were still African American men employed as trainer jockeys. For Kentucky, some were listed in the various city directories from the 1880s up to the late 1940s. Those born in Kentucky and employed in other states, can be found in the U.S. Census data. These men and boys as young as 9 years old, earned a living training race horses. Below are some of their names.

James Bibbs (1883-1939) - Bibbs was born in Lexington, KY, and according to the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, he was the son of Nathan and Amanda Bibbs. James Bibbs was a teenager when he was listed as a horse jockey in the 1900 census and in the 1898-9 city directory. He roomed at 96 Constitution Street, and his family lived on S. Limestone. He would later become the husband of Mattie Bibbs. According to his death certificate, Bibbs' was a jockey his entire work life. He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Lexington, KY.

Thomas M. Britton(1870-1901) - Britton had been a competing jockey. He won the Tennessee Derby in 1891 aboard Valera, and the Kentucky Oaks aboard Miss Hawkins. He won the 1892 Tennessee Derby aboard Tom Elliott [source: last paragraph of "Negro riders of renown," Daily Racing Form, 02/17/1922, p.2].

Robert Clark

James Grimes (b.1868) - Grimes was born in Kentucky and was the husband of Fannie Grimes. The couple lived on W. 4th Street. James Grimes is listed in the city directory as a jockey, and a year later he is listed in the 1900 U.S. Census as a cook.

Thomas Smith (b.1862) - Smith was born in Kentucky, the son of Martha Smith, and the husband of Mary Jane Smith. He and his wife lived on Race Street. Smith is listed in the 1880 U.S. Federal Census as a race rider, and he is listed in the city directory as a jockey.

Frank Williams (b.1872) - Williams was born in Tennessee, and his parents were from Kentucky, according to the 1900 U.S. Federal Census. He was the husband of Annie Williams and the couple lived on Pine Street. Williams is listed in the census as a horse trainer, and as a jockey in the city directory

Julius T. Patterson (b.1872) - Patterson was born in Kentucky, he was the husband of Georgia Patterson, and the family of six lived on Jackson Street, according to the 1910 U.S. Federal Census. Patterson is listed as a jockey in the city directory, and as a race horse trainer in the census. (1899-1900 directory)

French Brooks (c.1856-1943, born in KY) - Noted race horse trainer at Wood Clay Farm in Bourbon County in 1908. French Brooks was born in Paris, KY, the son of Milton True and Jinnie Lacy [source: Kentucky Certificate of Death #10182]. He is buried in #2 Cemetery in Lexington, KY. He was the father of groomer Warner Brooks.

Source: 1930 U.S. Federal Census

Warner Brooks (1877-1952, born in KY) - groom - Lexington, KY. Warner brooks was a groom at a race track in Lexington, KY. He was born in Bourbon County, KY, the son of French Brooks. He was a veteran of the Spanish-American War and is buried in the Camp Nelson National Cemetery [source: Kentucky Certificate of Death - Registrar's #1242].

Roscoe Huguley (b.1900) - According to his WWI registration card, Huguley was in Georgia in 1918. He was born in Kentucky and is listed in the 1920 U.S. Federal Census employed as a horse trainer and head of the household of two older sisters, who were cooks, and a younger sister. Huguley was married to Alta Huguley when he was listed as a jockey in the 1931 Lexington city directory.

Richard Mitchell (1931 directory)

Lewis White (b.1883) - White's WWI registration card, signed in 1918, gives his occupation as a horse rider for Will Perkins whose business address was on 3rd Street in Lexington. White is listed as a jockey in the 1931 Lexington city directory. [Will Perkins was a horse trainer and the brother of jockey James "Soup" Perkins and horse trainer Frank Perkins.]

Joe Louis Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and Joe Louis Bottling Company
Start Year
: 1952
End Year
: 1953
Beginning in 1952, Joe Louis Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 86 proof, was a short-lived venture by then retired heavyweight boxer Joe Louis. He was owner of the Joe Louis Distilling Company in Philadelphia, PA, where the label was produced for about a year. The whiskey was bottled in Kentucky, and the last line of the bottle label read "Joe Louis Bottling Co., Lawrenceburg, Kentucky." By January 1953, the label read, "Joe Louis Distilling Co., Lawrenceburg, Kentucky." Miniature pairs of boxing gloves of various colors were used to promote the whiskey. The gloves were stamped with the Lawrenceburg bottling and distillery name. The whiskey was sold in different volumes, including fifths, pints, and half pints. Lucky Millinder [info] organized a band in 1952 to promote the whiskey. For more see "Lucky Millinder," Jet, 10/02/1952, p. 22; "Joe Louis launches new whiskey business," in Jet, June 19, 1952, p. 45; advertisement with Lawrenceburg Distilling Company name in Jet, 01/29/1953, p. 68; and advertisement in Arkansas State Press, 08/01/1952, p. 8.

See photo image of billboard ad for the whiskey at the Amistad Research Center American Missionary Association website at the Louisiana Digital Library.Subjects: Alcohol,
Boxers, BoxingGeographic Region: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / Lawrenceburg, Anderson County, Kentucky

John Brown, Hanged With Kentucky Rope
End Year
: 1859
The rope used to hang abolitionist John Brown (1800-1859) came from Kentucky. Prior to his hanging, samples of rope were submitted by South Carolina, Missouri, and Kentucky. The ropes were put on exhibit for the public to view. The ropes from South Carolina and Missouri were not used because it was thought that they were not strong enough, so the rope from Kentucky was selected. John Brown was hanged in Charlestown, WV, on December 2, 1859. In an article in the Charleston Gazette, 07/14/1929, it was stated that the rope used to hang John Brown was in the Kentucky Archives, but there is no evidence of that being true today. Two pieces of the rope are said to be on display at the Warren Rifles Confederate Museum [photo of rope]; the rope pieces were donated by the Richmond United Daughters of the Confederacy. The rope pieces are artifacts from a Virginia regiment that was present the day of the hanging. The original rope is also said to be in the State Museum Section of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History; the rope was part of the collection purchased from Boyd B. Stutler, who was a collector of John Brown items. The Massachusetts Historical Society also has a rope, with the noose, that supposedly was used to hang John Brown. The rope was given to the organization by William Roscoe Thayer, president of the American Historical Association in 1918. For more see The Public Life of Capt. John Brown, by J. Redpath; Progress of a Race, Or, the Remarkable Advancement of the AmericanNegro, by H. F. Kletzing and W. H. Crogman; "Notes on John Brown Hanging Rope" and other items in the John Brown/Boyd B. Stutler Collection Database and other collections at the West Virginia Division of Culture and History website; "Brown rope is given Stutler on birthday," Charleston Gazette, 07/14/1929; and artifacts and library holdings relating to John Brown at the Massachusetts Historical Society.

See photo image of John Brown and additional information at the New Perspectives of the West - John Brown website at Kentucky Educational Television [KET].
Subjects: Activists, Civil Rights,
ExecutionsGeographic Region: Kentucky / South Carolina / Missouri / Charleston, West Virginia

John C. Wyatt Lexington Herald-Leader Collection
Start Year
: 1939
End Year
: 1990
The collection contains approximately 1.5 million photographic negatives dating from 1939-1990. The negatives were received from the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper by the University of Kentucky Libraries' Special Collections. It is the largest single collection of 20th Century visual documentation of Central Kentucky life. Included are a fairly large number of photographs that cover African American events, schools, and activities. In July 2006, a nearly 50,000-item database describing the first processed portion of the collection, 1939-1953, and approximately 500 digitized images, became accessible online via the Kentucky Digital Library. As more images are processed, they will become available online and be searchable using terms such as African American, Charles Young Community Center, Dunbar School, Lyric Theater, etc. Access to the remainder of the collection is available via the database at the University of Kentucky Libraries' Special Collections. Call (859) 257-1742 or email SCLREF@LSV.UKY.EDU for an appointment, for reproduction and copyright information, or to learn more about the photographic collection.
Subjects: Journalists, Newspapers, Magazines, Book Publishers, Music Publishers,
Photographers, PhotographsGeographic Region: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky

John Little Mission (Louisville, KY)
Start Year
: 1897
The John Little Mission was one of the first community centers in the United States for African Americans. It was founded in 1897 when students at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary [now Louisville Seminary] started offering services to African Americans in the Smoketown neighborhood in Louisville, KY: Sunday School, worship services, domestic arts classes for women, and trades classes for men. John Little, who was white and from Alabama, was one of the founders of the seminary. In 1904 he began supervising the mission and added another site and more services, including vocational training. For more see the history page at the Louisville Seminary website; and R. E. Luker, "Missions, institutional churches, and settlement houses: the Black experience, 1885-1910," Journal of Negro History, vol.69, issue 3/4 (Summer-Autumn, 1984), pp. 101-113. The notes at the end of the Luker article contain a list of additional sources.
Subjects: Education and Educators,
Settlement House Movement in Kentucky,
Religion & Church Work,
Social Workers,
Sunday School,
Community Centers and Cultural CentersGeographic Region: Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Johnson, Albert
Birth Year
: 1832
Death Year
: 1911
Albert Johnson, born in Kentucky, was a well known owner of the resort on Donner Lake in Meadow Lake, CA. He rented rooms in the hotel and rented the cabins. Johnson had come to California around 1871, and was employed at the Truckee Hotel by Stewart McVay. He had also been employed on a Lake Tahoe Steamer; he is first listed in the 1880 U.S. Census as a steam boat cook and a single man who was born in Kentucky around 1832. Albert Johnson is also listed in the 1910 U.S. Census as a single man who was a hotel keeper, and he could read and write. Just prior to his death in 1911, Albert Johnson had become stranded in his hotel due to a heavy snow. He died at the county hospital in Nevada City, CA. Johnson Canyon is named in Albert Johnson's honor. The canyon was formerly known as Negro Canyon. For more see "Negro boniface is dead at 94: Albert Johnson, found destitute in mountain hotel, dies in county hospital," The Sacramento Union, 04/15/1911, p.9; and "Johnson Canyon (Upper Gregory Creek)" at the Truckee Donner Land Trust website.
Subjects: Migration West,
Parks & ResortsGeographic Region: Kentucky / Meadow Lake, California

Johnson, Anita L.
Anita L. Johnson was the first African American elected official in Jeffersontown, KY. She was re-elected to her third term to the Jeffersontown City Council in 2006. She has served as treasurer of the Kentucky Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials. In 1996, Johnson was proprietor of Johnson's Errands for You in Jeffersontown, she was founder and owner of the business, and in 2000 received the Emerging Business Owner Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners. Jeffersontown is located in Jefferson County, KY, and was officially established as the city of Jefferson in 1797. For more see R. Weckman, "Taking care of business," Extension Today, Spring/Summer 2000, p.1, a publication by the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture & Cooperative Extension Service [.pdf available online]; and The Honorable Anita L. Johnson in Who's Who in Black Louisville, Inaugural Edition, p.113. For more about Jeffersontown, KY see city website.
Subjects: Businesses,
Politicians, Politics, Appointments & ElectionsGeographic Region: Jeffersontown, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Johnson, Barbara
Birth Year
: 1960
Barbara Johnson was born in Paris, KY. In 1997, she received a Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award for adapting the Kentucky Education Reform Act's Extended School Service Program at the Paris Middle School. The program provided after-school and summer instruction and small group tutoring and support services such as transportation. For more see Barbara Johnson at the Milken Family Foundation website, and J. S. Shive, "Paris Middle Teacher Wins National Educator Award," Lexington Herald-Leader, 07/22/1998, Bluegrass Communities section, p. 11.

Johnson, Beverly [James Williams, Sr.]
Birth Year
: 1840
In 1858, Beverly Johnson escaped from slavery in Kentucky and made his way north to York, MI. Johnson changed his name to James Williams, Sr. and was a cigar maker; he is listed in the 1860 census. He later established a cigar factory in Saline, MI, and became a farmer. He was the husband of Mary Williams who was born in Ohio, and her mother was from Kentucky [source: 1880 U.S. Federal Census]. The couple had three sons, James Jr., Henry, and Charles. James Williams, Sr. was a widower in 1900, according the census. This was about the same time that his son Charles E. Williams graduated from the University of Michigan Law School and started practicing law in Detroit with Michigan's renowned Negro lawyer, **Robert J. Willis. Under the new civil service law, Charles Williams was appointed a life tenure of office as a general clerk in the Detroit Assessor's Office. For more see "Charles E. Williams" in the Michigan Manual of Freedmen's Progress, compiled by F. H. Warren [available full text online as a .pdf at the Western Michigan University website].

**The mother of Robert Jones Willis was an escape slave from Kentucky, for more see "Michigan gives lawyer a birthday" in Day by Day column by Wm. N. Jones in the Baltimore Afro-American, 05/25/1929, p.6.
Subjects: Businesses,
Fathers,
Freedom,
Lawyers,
Migration NorthGeographic Region: Kentucky / York and Saline, Washtenaw County, Michigan / Detroit, Michigan

Johnson, "Big Winnie"
Birth Year
: 1839
Death Year
: 1888
Johnson was born in Henry County, KY, on either Boyd Club Farm or E. M. Bryant Farm. She was billed as the biggest woman in the world. Johnson was a widow and mother of ten children, she turned to show business after her husband died in 1882. At her death, Johnson weighed 849 pounds. She had been showcased from a boxcar, travelling throughout the United States. Johnson died of fatty degeneration of the heart and was buried in Laurel Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. At the time of her death, only three of her children were alive. For more see "Big Winnie Johnson," American Sideshow: an encyclopedia of history's most wondrous and curiously strange performers by M. Hartzman; and "Big Minnie's Burial, The Prize Fat Colored Woman Laid to Rest Yesterday," The Baltimore Herald, 09/14/1888.
Subjects: CircusGeographic Region: Henry County, Kentucky / Baltimore, Maryland

Johnson County (KY) Slaves, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes, 1850-1870
Start Year
: 1850
End Year
: 1870
Johnson County, established in 1834, is located in eastern Kentucky, and surrounded by five counties. It was created from portions of Floyd, Lawrence, and Morgan Counties, and named for Richard M. Johnson, who was born in Kentucky and served as a U.S. Representative, Senator, and Vice President under President Martin VanBuren. The county seat of Johnson County is Paintsville, established in 1834 and named for the pictures found on the trees in the area and thought to be the work of Native Americans. Below are the number of slave owners, slaves, and free Blacks and Mulattoes for 1850-1870.

Johnson, Don
Birth Year
: 1927
Don Johnson was born and reared in Covington, KY. He attended William Grant High School, where he was a noted talent in basketball, baseball, and track and field. He played baseball and softball informally until he was picked up by the Chicago American Giants in 1949, later playing for the Philadelphia Stars, Baltimore Elite Giants, and the Detroit Stars, all Negro League teams. Johnson was still playing baseball in the White Oak League in 1999. He was living in Cincinnati in 2005. For more see Don Johnson at the Negro League Baseball Players Association website; J. Erardi, "Don Johnson, pulled out of the stands into a career," The Cincinnati Enquirer, 07/04/1999; and Shadows of the past, by L. Stout.

Johnson, Emma White Ja Ja
Emma White, the daughter of former slaves, was born in Kentucky. She was educated and was one of the hundreds of African Americans who migrated to Liberia after the American Civil War. White was not successful with her venture in the West African coastal trade, she lost all of her money, and in 1875 moved to Opobo (today southern Nigeria). Opobo had been established in 1870 by Jubo Jubogha, a former Igbo slave who rose in status and became King of Opobo. He traded in oil palm with Europe. Emma White was employed by Jubogha to write his correspondence, and she was a teacher and governess for his children. Jubogha established a school in Opobo with a Mr. Gooding as the teacher. A second school was opened in Sierra Leon. When Mr. Gooding resigned his post, Emma White became the head of the Opobo school. White was taking on more responsibilities, moving into the inner circle of the King's business affairs and accompanying him on business trips; an article in the Cleveland Gazette refers to her as the "Treasury and Grand Visier" to King Ja Ja. The King had established himself as the middleman between European traders and the interior markets under his jurisdiction. Opobo had become prosperous, it was a major trade center due to King Ja Ja's business, political, and military strategies. In 1873, Jubo Jubogha was recognized by the British government as King of the independent nation of Opobo. But British traders soon tired of having to do business through Opobo with its restrictions, and taxes and tariffs. At the same time, there was threat of a German invasion of West Africa and the established trade business. King Ja Ja agreed to place Opobo under the protection of England. Unbeknown to him, in Europe the 1885 Treaty of Berlin had resulted in the dividing-up of various portions of Africa. It was a move toward colonies and gaining resources that would be governed by Europeans, and the move away from the independence and self-governance of African nations by Africans. England claimed the Oil Rivers Protectorate, which included King Ja Ja's land and the right to direct access to inland trade markets, cutting out King Ja Ja as the middleman. The scramble for Africa included an intentional trade depression of African markets. In Opobo, Emma White had gained significant wealth by 1881, and she retired from Opobo. Two years later she was broke and returned to ask King Ja Ja for assistance. Believing that she had betrayed him, the King prohibited her from entering Opobo. After several appeals, Emma White was again employed by the King. In appreciation, she changed her name to Emma Ja Ja, and kept the name after she married an Opobo man. In the British Parliamentary Papers, Emma Ja Ja Johnson is referred to as King Ja Ja's adopted daughter. In 1887, King Ja Ja signed a treaty of agreement with England to allow free trade in his territory, but the King continued to block attempts at inland trade. He was tricked into boarding the British ship Goshawk to discuss the matter, and was deported to Accra, Gold Coast [today Ghana]. He was accompanied by his wife, Patience, Emma Ja Ja Johnson, a cook, a steward, 3 servants, and a carpenter. In Accra, King Ja Ja was tried and found guilty of actions against the interests of England. As punishment, he was banished from Opobo and further deported to St. Vincent Island in the British West Indies, and provided with between 800 and 1,000 pounds sterling annually. In 1891, King Ja Ja's health was failing and the British government finally gave permission for him to return to Opobo. He died en route. Emma Ja Ja Johnson was banished from Opobo by the British government; she was accused of being the instigator to all the troubles between England and Opobo. For more see King Jaja of the Niger Delta by S. J. S. Cookey; see "Miss Emma [Jackson]..." in the Cleveland Gazette, 04/11/1885, p.2; A History of the Igbo People by E. A. Isichei; British Parliamentary Papers, Africa. No.2 (1888). Command Papers: Accounts and Papers, [c.5365], v.74.149, 19th Century House of Commons Sessional Papers; "The Cannibals of the Opobo," Courier and Middlesex Counties Courier Gazette, 05/11/1889, p.2; and British Parliamentary Papers, Africa No.7 (1888), Reports of the Slave Trade on the East Coast of Africa, 1887-88, Command Papers: Accounts and Papers, [c.5578], v.74.1,. 19th Century House of Commons Sessional Papers.
Subjects: Businesses,
Education and Educators,
Liberia, Liberian Presidents & Diplomats,
Migration Outside the U.S. and Canada,
Presidents, National Presidential Candidates and Party NomineesGeographic Region: Kentucky / Liberia and Opobo, Africa

Johnson, George A.
Birth Year
: 1890
Born in Shelby County, KY, George A. Johnson was principal of schools in Indiana and Arkansas before becoming principal of Howard High School in Stanton, Delaware. He was president of the Wilmington Principals Association, 1946-1948, and vice president of the Wilmington Suburban Principals Association. For more see Who's Who in Colored America, 1950.
Subjects: Education and EducatorsGeographic Region: Shelby County, Kentucky / Stanton & Wilmington, Delaware

Johnson, George "GG"
Birth Year
: 1939
George Johnson was born in Columbus, Georgia. He is the first and only African American head golf professional in Kentucky. In 2004, he was one of nine golf professionals named to manage Louisville Metro Park clubhouse operations for the next five years. Johnson is the Head Pro at Bobby Nichols Golf Course in Waverly Park, Louisville, KY, where he has been since 1997. George Johnson became a professional golfer in 1964, qualifying for the U.S. Open in 1965. In 1971 he won the Azalea Open and became the fourth African American to win a PGA tournament. Johnson is a lifetime member of the PGA Tour. In 2008, George Johnson was inducted into the African American Golfers Hall of Fame. For more see the annual George "GG" Johnson Golf Scramble fliers. For more about George Johnson's career, see D. Poore, "Golf league seeks minorities," Courier-Journal (Louisville), 05/02/2007, Neighborhoods section, p. 19.

Johnson, Gregory A.
Birth Year
: 1966
In 1985, Greg Johnson became the first African American valedictorian graduate of Paducah Tilghman High School, located in Paducah, KY. Johnson had maintained a perfect 4.0 during his entire four years of high school. He and 140 other Presidential Scholars, including Lafayette High School graduate Jill Conway, were recognized by President Reagan during a ceremony held in the White House Rose Garden. The scholars spent a week in Washington, D.C. and also received $1,000 from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. Greg Johnson was accepted at Brown University and graduated in 1989 with an AB in history and in 1993 with an MD. He earned an MPH in 1998 from Boston University. Johnson has been a medical doctor at Boston University and at Harvard University. Born in Paducah, KY, Greg is the son of Rochelle Johnson. For more see "Reagan recognizes two Kentucky scholars," Lexington Herald-Leader, 06/22/1985, City/State section, p. B2.
Subjects: Education and Educators,
Medical Field, Health CareGeographic Region: Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky

Johnson, Harlan C.
Birth Year
: 1919
Death Year
: 1992
Harlan C. Johnson was born in Eminence, KY, to Elizabeth H. Cowherd Johnson and Joseph S. Johnson. He had an outstanding career in the military: two bronze metals from the Asian Pacific theater; a bronze star from the Philippines Liberation; a Good Conduct Medal; and a World War II Victory Medal. After his career in the service, Johnson was a business teacher at New York University and Southern University at Baton Rouge. He taught in the New York City school system, served on the Board of Education, and was a drug counselor with the Community Services Committee. He received the Humanitarian Service Plaque for his work with the pre-release program of rehabilitation at Green Haven Prison. Harlan C. Johnson graduated from New York University in 1950 with a B.A. and in 1952 with an M.A. He died March 5, 1992 in Bronx, New York [source: Social Security Death Index]. For more see Harlan C. Johnson in Who's Who Among African Americans, 1994-2004.
Subjects: Civic Leaders,
Education and Educators,
Migration North,
Military & Veterans,
Board of EducationGeographic Region: Eminence, Henry County, Kentucky / New York City, New York

Johnson, James Bartlett
Birth Year
: 1830
Death Year
: 1900
James Bartlett Johnson was born in Taylor County, KY. He was enslaved, but his wife, Mary A. Buchanan, had been free since she was three years old. The family was separated in 1856 when Johnson was sold to a Louisiana plantation. While there, Johnson began preaching and organized a church where he preached to the slaves. Johnson escaped and joined the Union Army in 1861, serving for three years. When he was discharged, he made his way to Kentucky, where he found his wife and child after having been separated from them for nine years. The family moved to Louisville, KY, where Johnson was ordained a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) Church and became a member of the Kentucky Conference. He was called into service in Springfield, KY, and in Lebanon, KY. While Johnson was in Lebanon, the church was burned to the ground, and the members left due to the split between the AMEZ and Colored Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church. The Springfield and Lebanon churches and congregations were later restored under one circuit. Bishop Johnson served in several other churches and was a respected leader of the AMEZ Church. James Bartlett Johnson died in Louisville on September 9, 1900 [source: Kentucky Death Records, 1852-1953]. For more see image and additional information about James Bartlett Johnson in One Hundred Years of the African Methodist Episcopal Church..., by J. W. Hood, p.332-335 [available full-text at UNC Documenting the American South].

Johnson, Jessica Grimm "Judy"
Birth Year
: 1909
Death Year
: 2003
Johnson was born in Lexington, KY. When she was a child, her family moved to Clifton, OH, and she later moved to Buffalo, NY, with her husband, Ralph Johnson. Jessica Johnson is remembered as a trailblazer for African American woman in Buffalo and New York politics. She was secretary to the first woman elected to the Common Council, the first woman to become Director of the License Bureau in 1965, and a confidential aide to the Mayor, the first woman and African American to serve in the Mayor's inner cabinet. In 1968, she was elected Chair of the 13th Ward, Masten District Democratic Committee; and she was elected Assistant Treasurer of the New York Democratic Committee in 1973 and elected Treasurer in 1975. Johnson was the first African American woman to be appointed City Treasurer in 1976, the same year she became the first woman and African American to be elected Senior Vice Chairwoman of the Democratic Party. For more see "Jessica Johnson, pioneer in city and state politics, dies at 94," Buffalo News, 09/26/2003, Local section, p. C4.
Subjects: Migration North,
Politicians, Politics, Appointments & ElectionsGeographic Region: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky / Buffalo, New York

Johnson, John J.
Birth Year
: 1945
From Franklin, KY, John J. Johnson became the youngest NAACP chapter president in Kentucky at the age of 17. During his tenure, the Franklin Chapter of the NAACP prevented the town of Franklin from employing the former chief of police from Philadelphia, Mississippi, where three civil rights workers were murdered. Johnson was state president of the NAACP for 14 years, leaving Kentucky to join the national NAACP office. John Johnson Street in Franklin, KY, is named in his honor. Johnson was born in Louisville, KY, grew up in Franklin, and lived in Baltimore, MD. In 2007, Johnson became the executive director of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. For more information, see Hall of Fame 2005 on the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights website; the John J. Johnson Biography at the HistoryMakers website; and KET's "Connections with Renee Shaw" - #312: John J. Johnson.

Johnson, Kissiah "Kizzy"
Birth Year
: 1767
Death Year
: 1880
Kissiah Johnson is regarded as the oldest person to have lived in Greene County, Ohio; she was said to be 112 years and 3 months old when she died February 28, 1880. She is mistakenly identified as a man in A. R. Kilner's book Greene County, Ohio Past and Present. The following information about Kissiah Johnson and her family comes from Robert Claxton Winston Day's self-published title Kizzy, 1767-1880 / Janie, 1902-2004: Me and Janie 1990. Kissiah "Kizzy" Johnson was a slave born in Virginia c.1767, initially owned by Anthony Thornton, Sr. Upon Thornton's death, his slaves were willed to his daughter Lucy Dixon Thornton. Author R. C. W. Day gained this information from Slave Records of Lucy Dixon Thornton, a document he obtained from the John Fox, Jr. Genealogical Library in Paris, Bourbon County, KY. [The library is within the Duncan Tavern Historic Center.] Anthony Thornton, Sr. had moved his family and his slaves to Kentucky in 1807, and he died in 1827. His daughter Lucy Dixon Thornton died in 1858. When Lucy died, the welfare of her slaves was left to her son Henry Walker Thornton who was to eventually emancipate the slaves and remove them to Liberia, Africa. Author R. C. W. Day wrote in his publication that he assumed that Kissiah Johnson had died while a slave belonging to Henry Walker Thornton; records indicated that the former slaves had been freed, but had not gone to Liberia, rather, they had moved to Jamestown, Greene County, Ohio. Among them were Kissiah's daughter Rose, and Rose's children Kizziah, Maria, Andrew, and Rosa. Rose's son Daniel (1846-1924), the great-grandfather of author R. C. W. Day, lived the rest of his life in Brentsville, Bourbon County, KY. Daniel's son, Garland (1875-1967) was a land owner in Brentsville and built the four room house where author R. C. W. Day was born in 1934. In his search for Kizzy, R. C. W. Day reread the estate records of Lucy Thornton and found that he had overlooked the name James Willis Sterling that was bracketed with Kizzy's name. Looking at the 1870 U.S. Federal Census, R. C. W. Day found that James W. Sterling also lived in Jamestown, Greene County, OH, in the home of Cyrus and Frances Eads, along with Frances' mother, 99 year old Kissiah Johnson. She had lived to see her family emancipated and she survived the move to Ohio. Kissiah Johnson died in 1880. Her gravesite is located in the Old Silver Creek Cemetery, and there is a monument listing the names of Kissiah, her son Daniel and his wife Maryann, and Fanny (Frances) Eads.

The text version of the will and inventory of Lucy Dixon Thornton is available online at the Bourbon County, KY website. [Henry Walker Thornton was the adopted son of Lucy Dixon Thornton; he was her deceased brother's child. The slaves Henry Walker Thornton inherited from Lucy Dixon Thornton were to be liberated upon his death.]

It is not known when Henry Walker Thornton died. In the 1860 Slave Schedule for Cynthiana, Harrison County, KY, H. W. Thornton is listed with 19 slaves, the oldest an 84 year old mulatto female. [Slaves were not listed by name in the Slave Schedules.] H. W. Thornton, who was single in 1860, is listed in the census as a farmer. He had real estate valued at $17,850 [$516,000 CPI in 2013], and he had a personal estate valued at $20,000 [$578,000 CPI in 2013]. Henry Walker Thornton is not listed in the 1870 U.S. Federal Census, by which time Kissiah Johnson and her family were free, and most were living in Jamestown, OH.

Johnson, Larry
Birth Year
: 1954
Born in Morganfield, KY, Larry Johnson was a 6'3" guard who played high school basketball in Union County, KY; he was the first of three African Americans from Union County recruited by the University of Kentucky (UK). (The other two players were Dwane Casey and Fred Cowan.) Johnson played at UK from 1973-1977, scoring a total of 850 points in 112 games, and was a member of the 1976 NIT Championship team. Johnson was chosen by the Buffalo Braves [now the Los Angeles Clippers] in the second round of the 1977 NBA draft and played for one year. For more see Larry Johnson at databaseBasketball.com; Larry Johnson at the Big Blue History website; and C. Hallstaff, "UK Basketball 100 Years: top 100 players of all time," Courier-Journal (Louisville), 11/24/2002.

See photo image of Larry Johnson at the Big Blue History website.
Subjects: BasketballGeographic Region: Morganfield, Union County, Kentucky / Buffalo, New York

Johnson, Laura "Dolly"
Birth Year
: 1852
Death Year
: 1918
Dolly Johnson, an African American from Kentucky, was the cook for President Benjamin Harrison. Johnson had cooked for the Harrison family in Indiana, sometime prior to their move to the White House. She was summoned to the White House by President Harrison around 1889 to replace Madame Petronard, a French chef. According to an article in the Woodland Daily Democrat, 01/09/1890, p.3, Laura [Dolly] Johnson was from Lexington, KY. She was about 37 years old and described as a mulatto, educated, and had secured a bit of wealth as a cook for Colonel John Mason Brown, according to an article in the Plaindealer. For more see S. E. Wilkins, “The president’s kitchen – African American cooks in the White House; includes recipes; Special Issue: the Untold Story of Blacks in the White House,” American Visions (February - March 1995); “Dolly the Kentucky negro cook,” Davenport Tribune, 03/07/1893; "Will cook for the President," Plaindealer, 12/20/1889, p.1; and "Mrs. Harrison's Lexington cook," The Kentucky Leader, 12/03/1889, p.2.

Additional information received by email from Yvonne Giles, 01/14/2016:

"[President] Harrison lost the next election to Grover Cleveland. Dolly worked for Cleveland for about a year, but he fired her and then tried to rehire her. Dolly refused his offer. Instead she returned to Kentucky, met and married in 1894 Ed Dandridge who was cook to the Fleischman (yeast company) family of Louisville. They eventually came to Lexington where Dolly opened restaurants in several locations in downtown Lexington. She [Dolly Johnson] died in February 1918 and was buried in No. 2; Ed died about six months later and was also buried in No. 2. There is a large marker in Section F, row 2 with just the name "DANDRIDGE" engraved; it is between Sidney Woodard and Mary Thompson. It looks as if it may have had a tablet at one time, but the tablet is no longer there. And of course they might be buried over in the Section D with Emma Bailey [Dolly Johnson's daughter] and their grave site is no longer marked.
Subjects: Bakers, Cooks and Chefs,
Migration North,
Appointments by U.S. Presidents/Services for U.S. PresidentsGeographic Region: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky / Indiana / Washington D. C.

Johnson, Lawrence E.
Birth Year
: 1932
Death Year
: 1978
Johnson was the first African American member and deputy fire chief of LaGrange Fire and Rescue Squad, from 1970-1978. Information submitted by Ruby Booker of LaGrange, KY.
Subjects: FirefightersGeographic Region: La Grange, Oldham County, Kentucky

Johnson, Lillian E. Russell Bakeman
Birth Year
: 1872
Lillian E. Russell was born in Kentucky and moved to Detroit, Michigan. She was the daughter of Wilbur L. Gordon Russell (mother) and William Russell [source: Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925]. After attending high school and business college in Detroit, she became a bookkeeper and stenographer. She was married to George C. Bakeman around 1895, and they were divorced by 1910, and Lillian and her daughter were living with her mother, Wilbur L. Russell, according to the U.S. Federal Census. Her name was Lillian E. Johnson by 1920 and she was once again living with her mother; Lillian had remarried and was a widow, and was employed as a stenographer at a law office. She was considered a member of the middle class within the African American community in Detroit, and was selected as a board member of the Detroit Urban League; at the time she was employed as a bookkeeper for a physician. She was one of the early African American members of the Detroit Urban League's integrated board at a time when the organization worked hand-in-hand with its financier, the Employer's Association, to supply Detroit industries with African American laborers from the South. The Detroit Urban League was established in 1910. Lillian E. Johnson was living with her brother in 1940, his name was Samuel H. Johnson, and the family of four lived on Alger Street in Detroit [U.S. Federal Census]. Johnson was employed as a bookkeeper with a newspaper. Bakeman's brief biography is included in the Michigan Manual of Freemen's Progress, compiled by F. H. Warren [available full text online in .pdf format on the Western Michigan University website]. For more about the Detroit Urban League Board when Bakeman was a member, see Internal Combustion: the races in Detroit, 1915-1926, by D. A. Levine.
Subjects: Accountants, Bookkeepers, Certified Public Accountants, Stenographers,
Employment Services,
Migration North,
Urban LeaguesGeographic Region: Kentucky / Detroit, Michigan

Johnson, Lyman T. [Johnson v. Board of Trustees]
Birth Year
: 1906
Death Year
: 1997
A teacher and assistant principal at Louisville schools, Lyman T. Johnson was a civil rights activist who fought for equal pay for African American teachers. He was head of the Louisville NAACP. His lawsuit desegregated the University of Kentucky (UK) in 1949. To commemorate the occasion, a historical marker was placed in front of Frazee Hall near the Student Center on the UK campus. Brother-in-law to Thomas F. Blue, Johnson was born in Columbia, TN, moving to Louisville in 1930 at the request of his sister, Cornelia Johnson Blue. He was a graduate of Knoxville Academy, Virginia Union College [now Virginia Union University], and the University of Michigan. The personal papers of Lyman T. Johnson are available at the University of Louisville Library. For more see The Rest of the Dream, by W. Hall; and S. Stevens, Historical Marker to be dedicated for African American Commemoration at the UK Public Relations' website.

Johnson, Mildred Bell
Birth Year
: 1905
Death Year
: 1972
Mildred Bell Johnson, an educator and civil rights activist, was the first African American to be elected assistant moderator of the United Church of Christ, in 1963. She pushed for the church to participate in the Civil Rights Movement. Johnson was born in Middlesboro, KY, the daughter of Rev. George W. and Elgatha Bell. She was the wife of Robert C. Johnson and was living in Birmingham, AL, when she was named to the two-year term of assistant moderator. Johnson was a 1926 education graduate from Kentucky State College [now Kentucky State University], and after graduating, she moved to Birmingham for a teaching job. She married her husband in 1936. Mildred Johnson served as a representative in the National Council of Churches, 1954-56. She founded the first girl scout troop for African American girls in Alabama and was a girl scout district adviser in Birmingham. The Mildred Bell Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award, of the Cahaba Girl Scout Council is named in her honor. She was the mother of Alma Johnson Powell, the wife of Colin Powell. For more see "Slave's daughter elected U.C. Assistant Moderator," The Calgary Herald, 07/06/1963, p. 30; "Mrs. Robert C. Johnson...," The Christian, v. 101, issue 52, p. 958; "Mildred Bell Johnson: Deep are the Roots," in Rhetoric, Religion, and the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1965, by D. W. Houck and D. E. Dixon; E. Hooper, "Foundation in scouting; a reporter's lyrical bent," St. Petersburg Times, 03/12/2003, p. 3B; and the "Mildred Bell Johnson" entry in They Too Call Alabama Home: African American Profiles, 1800-1999, by R. Bailey.
Subjects: Activists, Civil Rights,
Education and Educators,
Scouts (Boys and Girls),
Religion & Church Work,
Migration SouthGeographic Region: Middlesboro, Bell County, Kentucky / Birmingham, Alabama

Johnson, Perry
Birth Year
: 1855
Death Year
: 1928
In 2009, Rev. Charles H. Johnson was searching for information about his great-grandfather in Mt. Sterling, KY and Spencerville, OH, when he was hired as minister of the church his great-grandfather helped build in 1904. His great-grandfather's name was Perry Johnson, he was a fugitive slave from Montgomery County, KY. The name of the church he helped build is Spencerville Friends Church (Quaker). Perry Johnson came to Spencerville by way of Cincinnati, OH. He had been the slave of Thomas Johnson, a Kentucky Legislator from Mt. Sterling, KY, who served with the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Johnson Avenue, in Mt. Sterling, KY, is named in his honor. It was just prior to the start of the Civil War when Perry Johnson left Montgomery County and headed north with a group of fugitives in the Underground Railroad. Perry's first stop was in Cincinnati, OH, where he stayed until about 1870, according to Rev. Charles H. Johnson. When he was about the age of 15, Perry Johnson left Cincinnati and went to Marion, OH, where he was taken in by Thomas and Nancy Beckerdite. He remained with the Beckerdite family for 19 years and learned to read and write. The Beckerdite couple came from North Carolina. According to Rev. Charles H. Johnson, the Beckerdites were white, German, and Quakers. In the U.S. Census, Thomas Beckerdite is listed as Black in 1870 and as Mulatto in 1880. His wife Nancy is listed as white in 1870 and as Mulatto in 1880. Their eight year old daughter Florence is listed as Mulatto in 1880. Florence would become the wife of Perry Johnson in 1888; Perry was 33 years old and Florence was 15. In 1900, Perry, Florence, and their five children lived in Spencerville, OH, and Perry worked as a rig builder in the oil field [source: U.S. Federal Census]. The family was Quaker and participated in the services that were held in members' homes. In 1904, the Spencerville Holiness Mission Church was constructed and Perry Johnson was one of the builders. Between 1906 and 1909, the church was renamed the Spencerville Friends Church (Quaker), according to Rev. Charles H. Johnson who referenced the history of Spencerville Friends Church from a loose-leaf book that was compiled by Wanda Lies in 1997. The book has about 70 pages, and Perry and Florence Johnson are listed as charter members of the church. At some point after the Civil War, Perry Johnson was able to reunite with his siblings who would also move to Ohio: William Pepsico, Carol Stewart, Wally Stewart, and Herald Stewart. Perry and Florence would remain in Spencerville, OH, for the remainder of their lives. When Florence's father died, her mother lived with Florence, Perry, and their seven children [source: 1910 U.S. Federal Census]. Perry had an eggs and poultry business. Perry Johnson died in 1928 and Florence Johnson died in 1959. This entry was submitted by Miles Hoskins of the Montgomery County Historical Society and Rev. Charles H. Johnson, minister of the Spencerville Friends Church (Quaker).

Johnson, Robert: Family and Relatives
Robert Johnson, one of the first Kentucky senators, was a white settler from Virginia. He came to Kentucky in 1783 and built Big Crossings Station, a fort near North Elkhorn Creek in Scott County. Johnson, one of the largest land owners in the state, owned slaves, some of whom were also his relatives. Today there are Johnson family members who are African American and those who are white. A biennial family reunion was held in Georgetown, KY, in July 2005. One of Robert Johnson's sons (by his wife Jemima) was Richard M. Johnson, a U. S. Representative and Senator and the ninth Vice President of the United States. Richard Johnson developed a relationship with Julia Chinn, described as a mulatto, whom he acquired from his father's estate. Julia and Richard had two daughters, Imogene and Adaline. Richard publicly acknowledged his relationship and his children and tried to introduce his daughters into white society, all of which cost him his Senate seat in 1836. For more see S. Lannen, "Unearthing their roots-sharing uncommon ancestors a diverse Kentucky family reunites," Lexington Herald-Leader, July 23, 2005; and Life and Times of Colonel Richard M. Johnson of Kentucky, by L. W. Meyer.
Subjects: Early Settlers,
Fathers,
Mothers,
InheritanceGeographic Region: Georgetown, Scott County, Kentucky

Johnson, Samuel Harrison
Birth Year
: 1916
Death Year
: 1999
Samuel H. Johnson was born in Bowling Green, KY, the son of Henry and Minerva Johnson. The family lived on Brown Street, before moving to Indianapolis when Samuel was a child. He later earned several degrees at Indiana University of Bloomington. For more than 20 years Johnson was director of the Southeast Regional Office of the National Scholarship Service and Funds for Negro Students (NSSFNS). Beginning in 1946, NSSFNS has sought to interest promising students in higher education and provide financial assistance toward their attendance and graduation. Johnson was also the founder of the Samuel H. Johnson SSSP Foundation, Inc., located in Decatur, GA. The organization's mission is to provide enhanced educational opportunities to students "of any race, color, national and ethnic origin." The Samuel H. Johnson Papers are at the Auburn Avenue Research Library in Atlanta, GA. The library also has the collection that Johnson established for the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development. For more information see Who's Who Among African Americans, 1977-2002; and the Samuel H. Johnson SSSP Foundation website.

Johnson, "Sweet" Lou
Birth Year
: 1934
Lou Johnson was born in Lexington, KY. The 5'11", 175-pound Johnson was the first African American from Lexington to play major league baseball. The street Lou Johnson Way and Lou Johnson Park, both in the Pralltown neighborhood of Lexington, are named in his honor. He attended old Dunbar High School and later played semi-pro ball with the Lexington Colts. He went on to play in the Negro League on the Indianapolis Clowns team. In 1950 he joined the Chicago Cubs and went on to play for six different teams before ending his baseball career in 1969. Johnson hit two home runs during the Los Angeles Dodgers' 1965 World Series victory. For more see Kaleem, J., "Sweet Gets His Street," Lexington Herald-Leader (08/12/04), p. 1; and Lou Johnson at the Baseball Almanac website.

Johnson, Thelma Banks
Birth Year
: 1909
The first African American elected official in Henderson County was Thelma Johnson, she was elected to the Henderson County Board of Education in 1978 and served until 1986. She also served as chair of the Henderson Human Rights Commission. Johnson was born in Georgia, the daughter of Mary and Harry Banks, and she came to Henderson, KY, in 1946.

Johnson, Wendell L., Sr.
Birth Year
: 1897
Born in Lexington, KY, the son of Katie Nelson Johnson and Churchill Johnson. The family lived with Katie's mother, Amanda Nelson, on East Main Street, according to the 1900 U.S. Federal Census. Wendell would become a social worker with the Shawnee County Welfare Center in Topeka, Kansas, beginning in 1934. He was director of youth work with the National Baptists and became the first president of both the Kansas State Layman Movement and the Kaw Valley District Baptist Layman Movement in 1950. He was also vice president of the Topeka Council of Churches, beginning in 1949. For more see Who's Who in Colored America, 1950.
Subjects: Welfare (Social Services) Organizations,
Religion & Church Work,
Social WorkersGeographic Region: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky / Topeka, Kansas

Johnson, William D.
Birth Year
: 1860
Born in England to an English father and a mother from Bengal, India, W. D. Johnson considered himself a Negro. He was the first African American to earn a diploma from the Phonographic Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio. Johnson was editor of The Lexington Standard, an African American newspaper in Lexington, KY. His bold editorials advocated civil rights for African Americans. W. D. Johnson left Kentucky when he was granted a job with the General Land Office in Washington, D.C. The job was a token of appreciation for Johnson's loyalty to the Republican Party during William H. Taft's 1908 campaign for President of the United States. In 1910, W. D. Johnson and his wife, Martha P. Johnson, a Kentucky native, lived at the home of Henry P. Slaughter [source: 1910 U.S. Federal Census]. Slaughter was a former editor of The Lexington Standard newspaper. W. D. Johnson is listed in the census as a black male in 1900 and as a white male in 1910. For more see Biographical Sketches of Prominent Negro Men and Women of Kentucky, by W. D. Johnson.
Subjects: Journalists, Newspapers, Magazines, Book Publishers, Music PublishersGeographic Region: England, Europe / Cincinnati, Ohio / Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky

Johnson, William H.
Birth Year
: 1895
William H. Johnson was an African American Baptist preacher and miner who lived in Middlesboro, KY. In 1946, he began mailing letters to persons of German descent in Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, claiming that he was Hitler, had escaped from the Russian army and was now living in Kentucky. The impostor said that he needed money. Johnson was arrested in 1956 by postal inspector W. W. Lewis. Johnson had received between $10,000 and $15,000 over the 10-year period. Johnson was sentenced to three years in prison. For more see More Offbeat Kentuckians, by K. McQueen; "Negro admits swindling Adolf Hitler followers," Florence Morning News, 08/15/1956, p.1; "Hitler trial continued; 15 from area given terms," Middlesboro Daily News, 11/15/1956, p.1; and "Hitler poser to face prison term," Atchison Daily Globe, 04/12/1957, p.2.
Subjects: Hoaxes,
Miners, Mines, & Steel Mills,
Religion & Church WorkGeographic Region: Middlesboro, Bell County, Kentucky / Virginia / Tennessee

Joice, James and Jemima
In 1863, James Joice (1807-1872), an escaped slave from Kentucky, was a cook and valet for Lt. Addison B. Partridge of the Union Army. When Partridge left the army, Joice followed him to Freemont Township in Illinois. Two years later, James returned to Kentucky and brought his wife, Jemima (1824-1920), and their children, Asa (d. 1924) and Sarah (d. 1941), up North. They were the first African American settlers in Ivanhoe, IL. Asa would become the first African American elected to public office in Lake County. The family remained in the community and are all buried in the Ivanhoe Church Cemetery. For more see Daily Herald articles, "First Black settlers found home in Fremont Township," 02/08/1997, Neighbor section, p. 1; and "Joices play important role in history," 02/21/1999, Neighbor section, p. 1. See also "A touch of the past,"Chicago Tribune, Magazine section, p. 7.
Subjects: Bakers, Cooks and Chefs,
Freedom,
Migration North,
Military & Veterans,
1st African American Families in TownGeographic Region: Kentucky / [Freemont Township] Ivanhoe, Lake County, Illinois

"Joining the Ranks: African Americans in the Military"
This exhibit featured the African American experience in the military from the Civil War to Desert Storm. The text and images cover a broad perspective from the local to the regional to the national. The display was presented by the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort, KY, September 13, 2003 - February 27, 2004 [Michael R. Jones, Curator].
Subjects: Military & VeteransGeographic Region: Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky

Jones, Abel Bedford and Albert Thomas
Birth Year
: 1810
The following information on the Jones brothers comes from Dr. Michael F. Murphy, Historian of Education at the University of Western Ontario; Dr. Murphy is working on a book about the schooling of colored and mulatto children in London, Ontario, Canada between 1826 and 1865. The Jones brothers played a major role in the schooling of these children. The brothers had been slaves in Madison County, KY. Abel was a field-hand and Albert worked for a millwright who owned a large merchant mill. Albert earned enough money to buy his freedom in 1833; he was 23 years old. He also purchased the freedom of Abel and a younger brother. The brothers immigrated to London, Upper Canada (now Ontario). Albert became a barber and merchant, and Abel was a barber and an herbal dentist. The brothers did quite well with their businesses. Abel may have been involved with the African American resettlement program. The brothers were interviewed by Samuel Ringgold Ward, S.G. Howe, and Benjamin Drew when these commentators reported on the condition of fugitive slaves in Canada. Abel's whereabouts are unknown after the mid 1850s. In 1866, Albert, often referred to as Dr. Jones, and his large family left London. Perhaps they returned to Kentucky. The Jones children were Betsy, Paul, Elizabeth, George B., A.O., Frances A., Victoria S?, Torreza O?, Albion, and Princess A. If you have more information or would like more information about Abel and Albert Jones, please contact Dr. Michael F. Murphy at murfy@sympatico.ca.
Subjects: Barbers,
Businesses,
Education and Educators,
Fathers,
Freedom,
Medical Field, Health Care,
Migration North,
DentistsGeographic Region: Madison County, Kentucky / London, (Upper Canada) Ontario, Canada

Jones, Alberta O.
Birth Year
: 1930
Death Year
: 1965
Alberta Odell Jones was born in Louisville, KY, the third child of Sarah (Sadie) Frances Crawford Jones and Odell Jones. She was also a first cousin of Raymond Ponder. During her brief life, Alberta Jones was at the forefront of change in Kentucky and Louisville. She was one of the first African American women to pass the Kentucky Bar (1959) and the first woman prosecutor in Kentucky (1964). [Sally J. Seals White was the first African American woman admitted to the Kentucky Bar.] Jones was prosecutor in the Louisville Domestic Relations Court; her law office was located at 2018 W. Broadway. [James A. Crumlin, Sr. was the assistant prosecutor.] Jones was Cassius Clay's [Muhammad Ali's] first attorney, taking him to California to be trained under Archie Moore. Jones was also a civil rights activist: in addition to participating in the March on Washington and the marches in Louisville, she rented voting machines and held classes to teach African Americans how to vote for the candidate of their choice. She established the Independent Voters Association and was an active member of the Louisville Urban League and the NAACP. Jones also established the James "Bulky" Welch Fund and held a fund-raiser, raffling off a car to pay Welch's medical bills and purchase the prosthetic arms to replace the ones young Welch had lost trying to retrieve his dog from under a train. Alberta Jones was a graduate of Louisville Central High School and attended the Louisville Municipal College for Negroes. When the college was merged with the University of Louisville (U of L) during desegregation, Jones continued her education at U of L and graduated third in her class. She was accepted into the University of Louisville Law School but transferred after the first year to Howard University School of Law, where she graduated fourth in her class. A picture of Alberta O. Jones hangs in the U of L Law School. She was a member of the American Bar Association, the Fall City Bar Association, and the Louisville Bar Association, serving as secretary of the latter. She was also a member of the Eta Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta and the Sigma Chapter of Iota Phi Lambda. Alberta O. Jones was murdered in August 1965 -- the case has not been solved. This information was submitted by Alberta Jones's niece, Ms. Nicole M. Martin, and Jones's sister, Ms. Flora Lutisha Shanklin. For more see "Alberta Jones' funeral rites held; unsolved murders alarm West Enders," The Louisville Defender, 08/12/1965, front page and p. 6; and Legacy of Leadership: African American Pioneers in Kentucky Law (video-recording), by the University of Louisville School of Law.

Jones, Benjamin Franklin, Sr.
Birth Year
: 1859
Death Year
: 1939
Benjamin F. Jones, Sr., a physician, was a former slave born in Sussex County, Virginia. He was a graduate of Normal and Agriculture Institute [now Hampton University] and completed his M.D. in 1890 at Howard University Medical College. Jones moved to Kentucky where he practiced medicine in Paris and Danville. He was named the physician for the Colored children at the Danville Deaf and Dumb Institute in 1898. Benjamin Jones was the husband of Matilda W. Jones (b. 1864 in Virginia), with whom he had five children, all born in Kentucky. The family lived on East Walnut Street in Danville, according to the 1910, 1920, and 1930 U.S. Federal Census. For more see the Benjamin Franklin Jones entry in A Historical, Biographical and Statistical Souvenir, by Howard University Medical Department [available full-text at Google Book Search].
Subjects: Medical Field, Health Care,
Migration East,
Deaf and Hearing ImpairedGeographic Region: Sussex County, Virginia / Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky / Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky

Jones, Bobby "Toothpick"
Birth Year
: 1938
Jones, from Maysville, KY, was the first African American high school basketball player to receive All-state honors in Kentucky. Jones got his nickname because he always had a toothpick in his mouth. In 1957, standing at 6' 3" and weighing 215 pounds, Jones was the second African American basketball player at the University of Dayton [the first was Charles "Ben" Jones from Danville, KY]. Bobby Jones averaged 10 points per game during his sophomore year but was kicked off the team because he had broken several team rules: he got married, rode a scooter that he crashed (he was hospitalized for his injuries), and fought with his teammates. Jones then transferred to Marshall University but left because he did not want to sit-out for a year before becoming eligible to play on the basketball team. He next played in the AAU League and also toured with the Harlem Stars and the Harlem Satellites basketball teams. After his basketball career ended, Jones got a job and also drove a cab on weekends before eventually returning to college: in 1972 he graduated from Ohio State University and a few years later earned his master's degree at Xavier University. In 1991, Jones was living in Cincinnati, OH, and taught at Holmes High School in Covington, KY. For more information see "Toothpick forgotten in UD hoop lore," Dayton Daily News, 02/16/1991, Sports section, p. 1B.
Subjects: Basketball,
Education and Educators,
Migration NorthGeographic Region: Maysville, Mason County, Kentucky / Dayton Ohio

Jones, Carridder "Rita"
Carridder Jones was born in South Carolina and lived in Indiana before moving to Kentucky. A playwright and historian, Jones's research has included African American communities in Kentucky, especially the black hamlets in Lexington and Louisville. Her play, "Black Hamlets in the Kentucky Bluegrass," was a finalist in the New York Drama League's New Works Project in 2002. Another of her plays, "The Mark of Cain," was chosen by the University of Louisville's African-American theater program for the Second Annual Juneteenth Festival of New Works. She has presented her research at conferences, programs, workshops, and as productions. She is the co-founder and Director of Women Who Write. In 2006, Jones received the Sallie Bingham Award. She is author of the 2009 book A Backward Glance. For more see "Free Black Hamlets,"Courier Journal (Louisville) News, 04/19/04; and "Filmmakers hope to save Bluegrass freetowns," Lexington Herald Leader, 08/10/03.

Jones, Charles B., Sr. "Ben"
Birth Year
: 1922
Death Year
: 2001
Charles B. Jones, Sr. was born in Danville, KY, and grew up in Cincinnati, OH. He was the first African American basketball player at the University of Dayton where he graduated in 1949. Among his occupations, Jones was employed as business manager for African American boxer, Ezzard Mack Charles, a heavyweight champion, alias "The Cincinnati Cobra." Jones is most remembered for launching and directing the Dayton Youth Golf Academy in 1989 for inner city children. He also served as a volunteer golf instructor with the organization. Jones was inducted into the Dayton Golf Hall of Fame in 1993. Charles B. Jones, Sr. was the son of Charles and Emma Jones, according to the 1930 U.S. Federal Census, and the family of six, all born in Kentucky, lived on Clinton Street in Cincinnati. For more see B. Albers, "Madden Memorial to honor local golf teacher," Dayton Daily News, 05/19/2002, Sports section, p.7D.
Subjects: Basketball,
Golf and Golfers,
Migration NorthGeographic Region: Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky / Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio

Jones, Charles W.
Birth Year
: 1904
Death Year
: 1957
Born in Barbourville, KY, Charles Wesley Jones was a lawyer who moved to Detroit, Michigan. He ran for the Michigan State Senate in 1932 and was defeated. In 1952 he was a U.S. Representative candidate but was defeated in the primary. Jones was the first African American judge in Michigan appointed to Recorder's Court. For more see the date July 29, 1950 on the Detroit African American History Project website.
Subjects: Lawyers,
Migration North,
Politicians, Politics, Appointments & Elections,
JudgesGeographic Region: Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky / Detroit, Michigan

Jones, Daisy
Daisy Jones was the first African American nurse in Colorado. She and her family had escaped from slavery in Kentucky and made their way to Canada, where Jones received her nurse training. She moved to Denver, CO, in 1904. Jones was also one of the organizers of the NAACP in Colorado. Her forceps and medicine bag are on display at the Black American West Museum in Denver. For more see "Black Women in Colorado: two early portraits," Frontiers: a Journal of Women Studies," vol. 7, issue 3 -- Women on the Western Frontier (1984), p. 21; and photo image of Daisy Jones on p.18 in African Americans of Denver by R. J. Stephens, L. M. Larson, and The Black American West Museum.

Jones, Della M. Lewis
Birth Year
: 1903
Death Year
: 2009
Della M. Lewis Jones was the oldest African American librarian in Kentucky, she was also the oldest alumna of Kentucky State University and the oldest resident in Grant Count, KY. Jones was a 1957 graduate of Kentucky State University and she received a doctor of humane honorary letters degree from the school in May of 2009. She had earlier attended Lincoln Institute and her first teaching position was in Wayne County, KY. The following year she took a teaching job in Boone County. Jones later taught at a segregated school in New Liberty and other schools in Kentucky. After the schools of Kentucky were integrated, Jones became librarian of the Owen County High School. In recognition of her longevity and educational contributions, May 14 was proclaimed Della Jones Day in Williamstown, KY. She was the last surviving member of the Ogg's Chapel C. M. E. Church in Williamstown, KY. Della Jones was the daughter of Richard and Sarah E. Jackson Lewis. She was the wife of the late Bradley Jones (1902-1969) who was a barber in the 1930s when the couple lived on the Northside of Cynthiana Street in Williamstown, according to the U.S. Federal Census. They had lived in the home since 1921. Della Jones was the great aunt of Kentucky House Member Reginald Meeks. For more see J. Baker-Nantz, "Call her Dr. Jones," Grant County News, 05/21/09, p.21; Della Jones obituary at stanleyfuneralhome.com; and S. Hopkins, "Kentucky State's oldest grad dies at 106," Lexington Herald Leader, 07/17/2009, p.B5.

Jones, Edward "Ned"
Death Year
: 1865
Rev. Edward "Ned" Jones is considered the first African American Methodist preacher in Kentucky. He began preaching around 1830 in the white Methodist Church at the corner of Clay and Nashville Streets in Hopkinsville, KY. Ned was the slave of William Fee Jones, a Presbyterian minister. The Methodist Church purchased Ned's freedom so that he could preach to the slaves. When he attempted to form an African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) in 1856, he was accused of trying to incite an insurrection among the slaves, and was jailed for three months. When released, Ned moved to Bowling Green, KY. The Hopkinsville Colored AME Church was established by the Southern Methodist soon after the Civil War ended. Ned would return to Hopkinsville, where he preached to both whites and Africa Americans, and he would become known as the most prominent preacher at Freeman's Chapel. Rev. Edward "Ned" Jones was the husband of Anna B. Jones, and the grandfather of Kentucky native Bishop E. W. Lampton (1857-1910) of the AME Church of Greenville, MS. For more see p.240 in Counties of Christian and Trigg, Kentucky by W. H. Perrin [title available online at Kentucky Digital Library-Printed Books]; and H. D. Slatter, "Bishop Lampton's grandmother dead," Baltimore Afro-American, 02/20/1909, p.1.
Subjects: Freedom,
Kentucky African American Churches,
Religion & Church WorkGeographic Region: Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky / Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky

Jones, Frederick M.
Birth Year
: 1892
Death Year
: 1961
Frederick M. Jones was born in Cincinnati and was later moved to Covington, KY. Some sources state that he was actually born in Covington, KY, in 1893. He was the son of John Jones, who was white, and an African American mother. Frederick Jones was raised by his father until age seven, when he was placed with the local Catholic Church; his mother had left the family when Jones was a baby. At the age of 11, Jones ran away from his caretakers at the Catholic church and found a job in a garage in Cincinnati, OH. He became a full time employee at age 14. Jones was attracted to mechanics and is credited with building the first practical truck refrigeration system in 1949. He also built cars from spare parts and raced them. He was a soldier in World War I; while in the service he studied electricity. In 1939 he patented a ticket dispensing machine for movie houses, his first patent (#2,163,754). Frederick M. Jones was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Technology in 1991 by President George H. W. Bush; Jones was the 1st African Ameican to receive the award. For more see Distinguished African American Scientists of the 20th Century by J. H. Kessler; and "Frederick McKinley Jones" in Encyclopedia of World Biography, vol. 20, 2nd. ed., 2004.

Jones, Ida "Black Ida"
Birth Year
: 1871
Ida Jones was said to be "the most dangerous and vicious woman in Denver" [source: Wild Women of the Old West by G. Riley, p.82]. It was also said that she was from Kentucky, according to author Anne M. Butler. The story of Ida Jones' has been hailed and retold in texts as that of a tough, trouble-making, black woman in the West. She had a long record of violence and arrests. Her nickname was "Black Ida," and she was also referred to as "Ida May" [source: "Is Stratton here?," The Denver Evening Post, 10/12/1899, p.2]. She was described as illiterate, tall, coarse, mean, and prone to have a bad temper with violent outbursts. With all that has been written about Ida Jones, nothing is known for sure about her past, where exactly she came from, her day to day life, her mental state, what happened to her or her child after she was release from prison in Canon City, or if Ida Jones was her real name. In 1889, Ida Jones lived in a rental house with several apartments, the building was located at 2043 Holladay Street in the red light district of Denver [source: Ballenger & Richard's Annual Denver City Directory, p.530]. She is not listed in the 1888 or earlier editions of Corbett & Ballenger's Denver City Directory. Ida Jones would have been in her late teens or early twenties in 1889. According to the city directory, she lived alone. As the reputation of Holladay Street became more identified as part of the vice community, the street was renamed Market Street [additional information]. According to author A. M. Butler, in her book Gendered Justice in the American West, pp.81-111, Ida Jones was a prostitute who had had countless run-ins with neighbors on Market and Blake Streets. There is no mention of her having parents, siblings, relatives, or close friends. In March of 1889, Ida Jones went to jail for making a violent scene in a dress shop; the dress she had made did not fit properly [source: O'Hare and Dick, p.18]. In the fall of 1889 she was arrested for running a house of prostitution, and when she was released, Ida Jones went on a rampage and wrecked the home of the woman who had turned her in to the authorities. Two weeks after her release from jail, she was arrested again for running a house of prostitution. There were many more arrests with different charges, all leading up to August 1, 1890, when Ida Jones stabbed Stephen Zimmer in the left thigh with a dirk that left a six inch cut from which Zimmer bled to death. Ida Jones claimed self defense, saying that Zimmer had thrown a brick at her and tried to cut her with his knife. Neighbors from the Market Street area testified against her. Ida Jones was sentenced to 15 years in prison for murder in the second degree [source: Freeman, 11/22/1890, p.7]. Subsequent pictures of Ida Jones show her with short cropped hair, there are several pictures on p.18 in the book Wicked Denver by S. O'Hare and A. Dick. There is little that is known about her time in prison. According to author A. M. Butler, Ida Jones did nine years of a 15 year sentence in the Colorado State Penitentiary and was released in August of 1899. The same release date is given by authors O'Hare and Dick, who noted that Ida Jones applied for a pardon in 1895. However, her name appears as early as 1896 in the city directory, she [or another Ida Jones or someone using her name] was living at 2034 Downing Avenue [source: Ballenger & Richard's Annual Denver City Directory, p.586]. Her name is listed in the annual directory up to the year 1900, when she was again living on Market Street. Not long after her return to the community, Ida Jones was arrested for fighting with a woman whom she struck with a baseball bat [O'Hare and Dick, p.20]. In 1901, she was arrested for stealing $200 from Charles Peterson, who was said to be one of her customers. Ida Jones was convicted in March of 1902 and was listed as a fugitive in August of 1902, according to author A. M. Butler, p.84. According to O'Hare and Dick, p.20, Ida Jones was pregnant and about 35 years old when she was convicted in March of 1902, then sentenced to 5-10 years in prison, and she served a portion of that time before being released July 9, 1908. Her release date is given as 1905 by author L. Wommack in Our Ladies of the Tenderloin, p.105, "Ida Mae Jones was the first female inmate at Canon City to be pregnant. Prison records report the birth of her child, but nothing further."

Jones, James Henry "Jim"
Birth Year
: 1873
Death Year
: 1944
Jim Jones, from Bullitt County, KY, was the son of Nelson and Sallie Jones. He moved to Louisville, KY, in the 1890s and was a servant for the family of Judge F. Fox, father of famous cartoonist and illustrator Fontaine Fox. Jim Jones was later employed by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company as chef on the business car, which served as the private car for the Old Reliable presidents [L & N was nicknamed Old Reliable]. Jones was chef for almost 50 years, serving four company presidents: Milton H. Smith, Wible L. Mapother, Whitefoord R. Cole, and James B. Hill; Jim Jones had what was considered for the time period a very good job for an African American man. He also served as the presidents' office messenger. Jones had been sick for several months prior to his death on November 27, 1944. His funeral services were held at the 5th Street Baptist Church, where Jones had been an active member. He was buried in the Louisville Cemetery. He was the husband of Annie E. Jones, and the couple lived at 530 S. 16th Street, according to Jim Jones' death certificate. For more see "Wideley known chef dies," The Louisville and Nashville Employe[e]s' Magazine, vols. 20-21, 1944, p. 17.
Subjects: Bakers, Cooks and Chefs,
Railroad, Railway, TrainsGeographic Region: Bullitt County, Kentucky / Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Jones, Kittie Phelps
Birth Year
: 1859
Death Year
: 1910
In 1888, Kittie P. Jones became the first African American notary public and pension agent in Lexington, KY. She continued at the post for 22 years, assisting African American widows and soldiers. In 1910, Jones suffered a stroke and died at her home at 322 Corrall Street. Her funeral services were held at Congregational Church, and she was buried in African Cemetery No. 2 on 7th Street in Lexington. Jones was born in Baltimore, Maryland, according to her death certificate and census records. She had come to Kentucky around 1885. Her exact age was not known, although her birth year was given as 1859 in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census. Kittie Jones was a widow when she died; she had been the wife of George Jones (b. 1824), whom she married in 1887. They shared their home with Alice Brown, a boarder who was divorced, and her young daughter, Imogene. For more see "Kitty Jones," Lexington Leader, 03/01/1910, p. 2.
Subjects: Migration South,
Notary PublicGeographic Region: Baltimore, Maryland / Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky

Jones, LeTonia A.
Birth Year
: 1972
The following information comes from the biography of LeTonia A. Jones with permission. ~ In 2014, LeTonia A. Jones was a District 8 candidate on the ballot for City Council in Lexington, KY. She was one of two African American women to ever have been on the ballot for City Council in Lexington. She was also the first out LGBT person of color on the ballot. Jones is a community service and social justice advocate, and an advocate to end violence against women and girls. LeTonia A. Jones was born in Paducah, KY and has been living in Lexington since 1994. She is a 1997 graduate of the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in psychology, and earned an M.A. in social work in 2004. For 16 years she was an anti-intimate partner violence advocate. She is currently self-employed as a mitigation specialist and anti-intimate partner violence consultant. In 2013, Lexington Mayor Jim Gray appointed LeTonia A. Jones to the Lexington Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission, and she presently serves as the Commission Chair. ~ LeTonia Jones, A. J. Pritchard, and C. E. Jordan are authors of the article "A Qualitative comparison of battered women’s perceptions of service needs and barriers across correctional and shelter contexts," Criminal Justice and Behavior, July 2014, vol.41, no.7, pp.844-861.

Jones, Louis Clayton
Birth Year
: 1935
Death Year
: 2006
Jones, an equal rights advocate and international lawyer, was born in Lexington, KY. He was a graduate of old Dunbar High School, Howard University, and Yale Law School, and was admitted to the bar in Kentucky and New York. He founded the National Conference of Black Lawyers. He was assistant director of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights in 1961. In 1981, he was the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Liberia, returning to the U.S. in 1982. The following year, Jones became counsel to the family of Michael Stewart, a 25-year old New Yorker who was arrested for writing graffiti in the subway and later died from injuries he received while in police custody. In 1985, Jones became the Director of Legal and Financial Affairs in Paris, France, for the Saudi Arabian company First Investment Capital Corporation. Louis Clayton Jones was the son of the late Mary Elizabeth Jones and Rev. William A. Jones, Sr.,; one of his six siblings was Rev. William A. Jones, Jr. For more see J. Ogawa, "Lexington native worked behind scenes for equal rights," Lexington Herald-Leader, 01/13/2006, City&Region section, p. D3; and "RIP: Louis Clayton Jones," Black Star News, 01/12/2006.
Subjects: Activists, Civil Rights,
Lawyers,
Liberia, Liberian Presidents & Diplomats,
Migration North,
Migration Outside the U.S. and Canada,
Kentucky Commission on Human Rights Geographic Region: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky / New York / Liberia, Africa

Jones, Lydia
Jones was one of the original members of The First Baptist Church of Columbus (OH) in 1824. It was the first Baptist church formed in the city of Columbus. The church started with 11 members, three of whom were African American: Jones from Kentucky and Patty Booker and George Butcher, both from Virginia. Lydia Jones was probably not a slave. The First Baptist Church of Columbus Papers are in the Ohio Historical Society Library/Archives. For more see chapter 43, "Baptist," by O. C. Hooper, in History of the City of Columbus, Capital of Ohio, vol. 2, by A. E. Lee [available online at Google Book Search].
Subjects: Migration North,
Religion & Church WorkGeographic Region: Kentucky / Columbus, Ohio

Jones, Margaret Ellen Barnes
Birth Year
: 1911
Death Year
: 2000
A major in the U.S. Army, Margaret E. B. Jones was with the only African American military women's unit (the 6888th Postal Unit) to go overseas during World War II. Her first post as an officer was in Kentucky, where she was over a unit of African American women assigned to clean floors and latrines in the Camp Breckinridge hospital. After that, she began lobbying for better work assignments for the women she commanded. She and Myrtle Anderson were the first African American women Army officers stationed in Kentucky. Jones' maternal grandparents had been slaves in Kentucky, and her mother, a well known community leader, was born in Monticello, KY; her name was Margaret E. Sallee Barnes. Margaret E. B. Jones, born in Oberlin, OH, was a graduate of Howard University. Her brother-in-law, Sam Jones, was athletic director at the school; he was also one of the first African American officers commissioned in the Navy. For more see C. Levy, "Maj. Margaret E. B. Jones Dies," Washington Post, 04/25/2000, Metro section, p. B7; The New York Times, 04/27/2000, late ed. Final, p. B13; To Serve My Country, To Serve My Race, by B. L. Moore; and "6 WACs Resign: WAC Clerks Decline to Scrub Floors," Philadelphia Afro-American, July 10, 1943, p. 1. For more about Camp Breckinridge, see the Camp Breckinridge entry in the Kentucky Encyclopedia[available on UK Campus and off campus via the proxy server], and History of Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, by P. Heady. See also the entry about the WACs Protest at Camp Breckinridge, KY.
Subjects: Military & Veterans,
Women's Groups and Organizations,
Women's Army Corps (WACs),
GrandparentsGeographic Region: Oberlin, Ohio / Fort Breckinridge [or Camp Breckinridge], Henderson, Webster, and Union Counties, Kentucky (no longer exists)

Jones, Margaret Grady
Birth Year
: 1885
Margaret "Maggie" Jones was the first African American woman to serve on the Republican Precinct Committee in South Bend, IN. She was a Kentucky native, born in Haydensville. She was married to George Lee Jones, Sr., born in 1887 in Kentucky. All of the couples' children were also born in Kentucky. The family moved to South Bend in 1919, and according to the 1930 U. S. Federal Census, they lived on West Jefferson Street. George Jones, Sr. was a presser at a tailor's shop. Maggie was an active member of several organizations, including the Indiana State Republican Women, the Northern Star, and Daughter Elks. For more see the Margaret Jones entry in The Black Women in the Middle West Project, by D. C. Hine, et al.; and the Margaret Jones Collection at Northern Indiana Historical Society.
Subjects: Migration North,
Politicians, Politics, Appointments & Elections,
Women's Groups and Organizations,
TailorsGeographic Region: Haydensville, Todd County, Kentucky / South Bend, Indiana

Jones, Robert E. "Jonah"
Birth Year
: 1908
Death Year
: 2000
Robert Elliot Jones was born in Louisville, KY, and raised in an orphanage. A jazz trumpeter, he played with the Cab Calloway Orchestra for 11 years, then went on to appear on television, make several albums, and win a Grammy Award in 1959 for Best Jazz Performance by a group. He was one of the all-time best trumpeters. Jones is also remembered for the spit ball incident that got Dizzy Gillespie fired. One day during practice, Jones threw a spit ball. Cab Calloway accused Dizzy Gillespie of the deed and slapped Gillespie. A scuffle ensued. When the two were pried apart, Calloway's pants were cut up and he had razor cuts on his hip and thigh. Gillespie was fired. Jonah Jones and the other orchestra members kept quiet. For more on Jonah Jones see Who's Who of Jazz, by J. Chilton; and Talking Jazz, by M. Jones. For more on the spit ball incident see Dizzy Gillespie, by T. Gentry, pp. 69-71. View image and listen to Jonah Jones Quartet: Night Train on YouTube.Subjects: Musicians, Opera, Singers, Song Writers,
Television,
Orphans and Orphanages in KentuckyGeographic Region: Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Jones, Samuel
Birth Year
: 1938
Death Year
: 2013
Samuel Jones is recognized as the first African American television newsman in Lexington, KY. He joined WLEX (Channel 18) in 1970 as a part-time newscaster and as a producer-moderator of the community problem show, Focus on Minorities. Jones also handled special assignments and weekend news. [The minority public affairs show was the second of its kind; an earlier show had aired on WTVQ (then Channel 62).] Jones also covered the burial of Whitney Young, Jr. on national hookup. He worked in radio from 1956 to 1958 and had a position with WLAP-FM in 1964. Jones is a graduate of old Dunbar High School in Lexington, KY, where he attended the University of Kentucky, majoring in radio and television arts. It was due to the efforts of CORE and the Urban League that minorities were hired in Lexington television. Initial information for this entry was submitted by B. Jones, with additional information gathered from Sam Jones and WLEX and forwarded by Ken Kurtz of WKYT (Channel 27). For more, see the Lexington Herald-Leader, January 15, 2013, p. A8.
Subjects: Radio,
Television,
Urban Leagues,
CORE (Congress of Racial Equality)Geographic Region: Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky

Jones, Silas
Birth Year
: 1936
Death Year
: 2016
Silas Jones was born in Brentsville (Bourbon County), KY, the son of John and Mary Jones. He is the founder and director of WordPlay and author of books of fiction, short stories and plays, including Waiting For Mongo, Children Of All, and God in Little Pieces. Jones has also written for film, television, and radio. He earned his B.A. in English from Washington State University. Many of Jones' plays have not been published nor made available to the general public. Silas Jones was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he joined-up after high school. Silas Jones died July 16, 2016 in Los Angeles, CA. He is buried with his parents in the Cherry Grove Cemetery in Cynthiana, KY. For more see R. Forte, "Back stage with successful playwright Silas Jones," Call & Post [Cleveland, OH], 06/16/1994; National Playwrights Directory, 2nd ed., edited by P. J. Kaye; Silas Jones at doollee.com, The Playwrights Database. Silas Jones is included in the picture of the children in "Brentsville One-Room School Students" on page 87 of Paris and Bourbon County, by B. Scott and J. Scott. For more information about his career, see the Silas Jones Obituary in the Los Angeles Times, 08/19-22/2016 [available online].

Jones v Van Zandt (1847)
Start Year
: 1842
End Year
: 1847
The case was the second of four major slave cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1842, a civil suit was brought by Wharton Jones for $500, the value of an escaped slave who had left Kentucky with eight other slaves and traveled into Ohio. The slaves had been aided by abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor, John Van Zandt, who had been born in Fleming County, KY. Van Zandt later moved near Glendale, Ohio, where Van Zandt was caught transporting the nine escaped slaves from Boone County, KY. One of the slaves, Andrew, thought to be worth $500-$600, escaped, and the others were placed in jail. Van Zandt and the eight remaining slaves were extradited to Kentucky, where Van Zandt was charged with harboring and concealing the escaped slaves. His attorneys, Salmon P. Chase and William H. Seward, unsuccessfully argued that in Ohio all people were presumed free, and Van Zandt could not have known that he was transporting runaway slaves. The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case in 1847 and upheld the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. The slaves remained in bondage, and Van Zandt was ordered to pay the fee. For more see Paul Finkelman "Slavery," The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States, Kermit L. Hall, Oxford University Press, 2005; Oxford Reference Online; Jones v Van Zandt, 46 U.S. 215 (1847); and the Jones v Van Zandt case, full text at Justia.com.
Subjects: Freedom,
Migration North,
Court Cases,
Underground Railroad: Conductors, Escapes, Organizations, ResearchGeographic Region: Fleming County, Kentucky / Boone County, Kentucky / Glendale, Ohio

Jones, William (Bill) A., Jr.
Birth Year
: 1934
Death Year
: 2006
Born in Louisville, KY, Jones was ordained a minister in Kentucky and served as pastor of Bethany Baptist Church for 43 years. The church, located in Brooklyn, New York, has about 5,000 members. Jones' message was also delivered on the Bethany Hour, which was broadcast on television and radio to 400 cities. He also led the campaign to integrate New York trade unions and organized a boycott of grocery stores, such as A & P, because they did not hire African Americans. He helped to establish and lead the National Black Pastors Conference in 1979. He was the first chairman of the New York chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He had preached in Toronto and Scotland and completed special studies in Nigeria and Ghana. Jones grew up in Lexington and was a graduate of the (Old) Dunbar High School and the University of Kentucky, where he earned a degree in sociology. He was also a graduate of Crozer Theological Seminary and earned his doctorate from a school that is now part of the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. He was the son of William A. Jones, Sr. and the grandson of Henry Wise Jones, Sr. who co-founded Simmons Bible College in Louisville, KY. William A. Jones, Jr.'s memorial service was held at the Historic Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church in Lexington, KY. For more see D. Martin, "Rev. William A. Jones, Civil Rights Activist, Dies at 71," The New York Times, 02/08/2006, Sec. C, p.16; and J. Hewlett, "Renowned preacher, civil-rights leader," Lexington Herald-Leader, 02/07/2006, City&Region section, p. B1.
Subjects: Activists, Civil Rights,
Civic Leaders,
Migration North,
Radio,
Religion & Church Work,
TelevisionGeographic Region: Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky / Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky / Brooklyn, New York

Jonesville (Bowling Green, KY)
End Year
: 1964
The following information comes from K. S. Parsley, "Jonesville: Reclaiming a History," a former Western Kentucky University website. Jonesville was an African American community that adjoined the former Western Kentucky State College campus. It was then a middle class neighborhood that stretched from Dogwood Drive to the railroad tracks; today's Big Red Way was the southern boundary. The community was well-established with grocery stores, beauty shops, and other service businesses. Approximately 70 families were in the community in 1950. The community was also home to many of the first African American students attending Western Kentucky University; African American students were not allowed to live on campus. As the university grew, Jonesville stood in the way of the need to expand the campus. In 1964 the Urban Renewal Commission condemned the Jonesville properties, then took over the properties and sold the land to Western Kentucky University at a cheaper price than would have been paid to the property owners. Most of the former Jonesville residents remained in Bowling Green, and the story of Jonesville continues to be told. A Kentucky Historical Marker # 2052 was paid for by Western Kentucky University and placed at the corner of Big Red Way and University Boulevard to commemorate the history and mark the former location of Jonesville. For more information listen to the oral history interview about Jonesville by Nancy Richey and Sue Lynn McDaniel with Angela Townsend, available at Western Kentucky University, Manuscripts and Folklife Archives; and watch the documentary film about Jonesville, produced by Aimee Briley, at Western Kentucky University, Manuscripts and Folklife Archives.

Jordan, Artishia Garcia Wilkerson
Birth Year
: 1901
Death Year
: 1974
Artishia G. W. Jordon was a teacher, civic leader, a leader in the AME Church, and supported civil rights. She was born in Louisville, KY, the daughter of attorney Bernard O. and Dr. Artishia Gilbert Wilkerson. She was a graduate of Central High School, attended Howard University, graduated from the University of Chicago in 1923, and earned her master's degree in mathematics at the University of California in 1924. She was the wife of Frederick D. Jordan who was a bishop in the AME Church. Artishia Jordan served as president of the Southern California Conference Branch, and was vice-president of the Chicago Conference Branch and the Southwest Missouri Conference Branch. She organized the AME Minister's Wives Alliance of the Los Angeles vicinity. She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Order of Eastern Star, and was elected to the executive council of Southern California Council of Church Women. She also served as president of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Council of Negro Women, and was a member of the Committee of Management of the Woodlawn YWCA. She was affiliated with the Sojourner Truth Home and the NAACP. Jordan was the first African American director of the Los Angeles Chapter of American Mission to Lepers. She was a contributing editor of the Afro-American Woman's Journal and was editor of the Women's Missionary Recorder from 1940 to 1944. She taught math at Central High School in Louisville and also taught at Western University. Artishia Jordan and her husband, Bishop F. D. Jordan, made several trips during the 1950s visiting AME Churches in South Africa. Artishia Jordan was author of The African Methodist Episcopal Church in Africa. Jordan Hall at Morris Brown College was named for Rev. and Mrs. Jordan. In 1976, the AME Church founded the Artishia Jordan Scholarship Fund, and after Bishop Jordan's death in 1976, the name of the fund was changed to the Artishia and Frederick Jordan Scholarship Fund. More than 1,000 students have benefited from the fund. For more see Mrs. Artishia Wilkerson Jordan in The Encyclopaedia of the African Methodist Episcopal Church compiled by Bishop R. R. Wright; J. Jordan, "Thirtieth Anniversary of the Artishia and Frederick Jordan Fund," in the Christian Recorder Online (English Edition), 11/09/2006; and see Artishia Gilbert Wilkerson Jordan in Negro Who's Who in California, 1948 edition, by H. M. J. Williams.

Jordan, Eleanor
Birth Year
: 1953
In 2001 Governor Patton appointed Eleanor Jordan Executive Director of the Office of the Ombudsman for the Cabinet for Families and Children. Prior to that, she had served three terms as a Kentucky Representative (Louisville): 02/1996 special election; 11/1996 election; 11/1998 election. In 2000 she unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in Kentucky's Third Congressional District. She was the first African American candidate for national office from Kentucky. In 2007, Jordan was appointed Executive Director of the Kentucky Commission on Women by newly elected Governor Steve Beshear. For more see Kentucky Women, by E. Potter; Y. Scruggs-Leftwich, "Significance of Black Women's Vote Ignored," in Women's ENews; D. M. Clayton, "African American women and their quest for Congress," Journal of Black Studies, Jan 2003, vol. 33, issue 3, pp. 354-388; Kentucky Governor Press Release, 01/02/2008, "Governor Beshear Appoints Executive Director of the Kentucky Commission on Women; and "Eleanor Jordan" at the Our Campaigns website.
Subjects: Politicians, Politics, Appointments & Elections,
Women's Groups and Organizations,
Legislators, Kentucky,
Appointments by Kentucky GovernorsGeographic Region: Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky / Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky

Jordan, George
Birth Year
: 1847
Death Year
: 1904
Born in Williamson, KY, George Jordan's thirty years of military service began in 1866 when he joined the 9th Cavalry in Nashville and ended at Fort Robinson, Nebraska, in 1897. He participated in conflicts with Native Americans, Mexicans, and U. S. outlaws: he helped open the West, winning a Congressional Medal of Honor for his efforts. Jordan retired to Crawford, Nebraska, in a small African American community. He later became ill but could not gain entrance into the Fort Robinson hospital and died a few days later. He is buried at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, Nebraska. For more see Dictionary of American Negro Biography, by R. W. Logan & M. R. Winston.

Jordan, Larry
Birth Year
: 1946
Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Larry Jordan, a graduate of West Point, became the first African American general post commander at Fort Knox in 1993. At the time, Jordan was a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Army. He is a 1979 graduate of Indiana University. For more see "West Point grad becomes first black general post commander at Fort Knox," Jet, 11/22/1993, vol. 85, issue 4, p. 36.

Juneteenth Legacy Theatre
Birth Year
: 1999
Death Year
: 2010
Beginning in 199, the Juneteenth Legacy Theatre Company performed in Louisville, KY, and New York City. One of the company's major events was the Juneteenth Jamboree, an annual festival that ran for three weeks during the summer (hosted by Actors Theatre in Louisville). The company was "Kentucky's Only Professional African American Theatre Company!" The production history is available on the "About JLT" web page along with the troupe's "Mission: To entertain, to educate, to enrich and to empower communities through the telling of stories about the African-American experience in historical and contemporary contexts." It was announced in 2010 that the Juneteenth Legacy Theatre in Louisville would be ending. For more information contact the Juneteenth Legacy Theatre; K. Neuhauser, "Juneteenth Legacy is closing its curtains," Courier-Journal, 05/31/2010, p. D1.
Subjects: Actors, Actresses,
Emancipation Day / Juneteenth Celebrations,
Theater: Companies, Education, Exhibitions, Performers, and Performances in KentuckyGeographic Region: Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky / New York City, New York

Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Kentucky
Juneteenth (June 19) is the celebration of the freedom of African American slaves. In Kentucky, Representative Reginald Meeks (D-Louisville) led the push to make Juneteenth a holiday in Kentucky. And though Juneteenth is declared a holiday in Kentucky, it is not yet celebrated statewide. For more see the Juneteeth video [#217] at "Connections with Renee Shaw," 07/07/2007, at KET (Kentucky Educational Television); and HB42.
Subjects: Freedom,
Emancipation Day / Juneteenth CelebrationsGeographic Region: Kentucky